ZAMDELA.- The Free State High Court, sitting in Sasolburg, has sentenced Lebohang Johannes Mofokeng (35) to 24 years of direct imprisonment for the murder and rape of his girlfriend, Nomalanga Dlamini (34).

The sentencing follows a tragic incident that took place on May 7, 2022. At approximately 07:03, members of the Zamdela SAPS responded to a complaint of a woman lying on the roadside, covered with a duvet.

“The victim was barefoot, wearing a black T-shirt and unclothed from the waist down. She had sustained visible head injuries,” said Fezile Dabi Police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani.

Emergency Medical Services personnel declared her dead at the scene.

The case was assigned to Detective Sergeant Oupa Jhekemba, who launched an immediate investigation. Preliminary enquiries conducted at the crime scene led to the swift arrest of the suspect at his residence.

Further investigations revealed that the accused and the deceased had been spending time together at a local tavern before the incident. An argument reportedly erupted between the couple while they were walking home, which quickly escalated into violence.

“The accused assaulted and raped the victim before abandoning her at the scene,” explained Rani.

Following a thorough investigation and a successful prosecution, the court found Mofokeng guilty of both murder and rape.