EDENVILLE – The Free State High Court sitting in Welkom has convicted and sentenced Thabo Isaac Ntanta (38) to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Aphiwe Mtolo (36).
The sentence was handed down on May 7. Police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani explained that the incident happened in May 2023.
At about 06:12, Edenville police received a complaint of murder at a certain house in the area. Upon arrival at the scene, police found the victim lying in the street with multiple stab wounds.
“According to eyewitnesses, the victim was stabbed several times while her grandmother and her then eight-year-old son watched helplessly. Emergency medical services personnel declared Mtolo dead at the scene, and police immediately launched an investigation,” Rani said.
The case was assigned to Detective Sergeant Mgcibelo William Masunya, who conducted a thorough preliminary investigation.
“Information gathered at the scene led police to identify the suspect as Thabo Isaac Ntanta. The suspect was apprehended in Edenville on the same day of the murder and later released on bail.”
Following an extensive investigation, Detective Masunya and the Crime Intelligence unit tracked down and rearrested the suspect in Johannesburg in October 2025.
The suspect had previously fled after being released on bail After his re-arrest, Ntanta remained in custody until the finalisation of the trial, which resulted in his conviction and life sentence.
