Pretoria - The High Court in Pretoria has sentenced 29-year-old Monoko Francis Thoko to 30 years imprisonment for the murder of the Gauteng Member of Provincial Legislature and chairperson of the safety and security portfolio committee, Mapiti Matsena.
He was also found guilty of housebreaking with the intent to kill, according to North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions Lumka Mahanjana.
“Matsena was at his Doornpoort home in Holy Hock Road when Thoko broke into his bedroom door. When he [Thoko] gained entry, he found Matsena’s wife in the room while Matsena was on the other part of the house. When the wife saw Thoko she started screaming,” said Mahanjana.
She said Thoko told the woman to be quiet and covered her with a blanket.
Upon Matsena’s returning to the bedroom, the Gauteng provincial official found Thoko in the room, and the two started fighting.
Thoko stabbed Matsena multiple times, and he died on the spot.
“Thoko pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and housebreaking with intent to murder,” said Mahanjana.
“The State Advocate, Mari Marriot argued that the commission of the offences was planned in that he waited until 21h00 in the evening to enter into the premises of the deceased.”
Marriot submitted that Thoko’s guilty plea would not constitute remorse, as the State had presented a “very strong case” against him.
The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed the sentence.
Before being sentenced on Thursday, Thoko was convicted in April for the murder and housebreaking with the intent to commit murder.
At the time, Thoko told Judge Hennie de Vos that he knew the consequences of his guilty plea and that, if no mitigating factors could be found, he could face life behind bars.
Independent Media reported that it had emerged from a post mortem that Thoko had stabbed Matsena at least 11 times at the MPL’s Doornpoort, north of Pretoria home on July 15 last year.
African News Agency (ANA)