Cape Town – The Thohoyandou High Court has convicted and sentenced the 22-year-old Karabo Samuel Monareng to life imprisonment for the murder of Mamaila Mahlatse in 2018 in Skhiming village near Mopane.
The accused and the deceased Mamaila Mahlatse were in Mokgomola tavern drinking liquor and later in the evening on their way home, the accused took out a knife and stabbed the deceased all over his body.
He then cut the deceased’s throat and private parts and after the ordeal, the accused went home, and the deceased’s body was found lying on the side of the street.
During the trial, Monareng, pleaded guilty to the offence and his defence lawyer told the court that the plea of guilty was not by his instruction.
Then the State led the evidence of witnesses to rebut the version of the defence.
In aggravation of sentence, the State advocate Robert Nekhambele submitted that the accused was dishonest, not remorseful, and cruel and the accused didn’t want to disclose why he removed the private parts of the deceased.
Nekhambele said the accused committed a horrible offence, and pleaded with the court to remove the accused permanently from the community.
Judge Matsaro Semenya agreed with the State and sentenced Karabo Samuel Monareng to life imprisonment for murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence and applauded the good work of advocate Nekhambele and Sergeant Romeo Mutele by saying: “We hope that the sentence imposed will deter would-be offenders.”
IOL