ANC MPL Mapiti Matsena’s family worried they won’t find out motive behind killing

Mapiti Matsena. Picture: Jonisayi Maromo/African News Agency (ANA)

Mapiti Matsena. Picture: Jonisayi Maromo/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Apr 20, 2021

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Pretoria - The family of slain ANC MPL Mapiti Matsena is worried they may never find out the motive behind his killing as the accused intends to plead guilty in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria.

This comes as the accused Monoko Thoka, 29, was on Monday given an opportunity to prepare his plea statement in connection to allegations of stabbing Matsena multiple times to death at his Doornpoort home last July.

The trial was set to start on Monday until April 30 but the family and ANC supporters learned in court that there would be no appearance as the accused will need the day to work on his plea with his lawyer advocate Martin Botha.

Family spokesperson Abel Matsena said: “We are worried that the accused seems to be apologising to us and ANC members and willing to do the time but he does not show willingness to tell us why he killed Matsena and who sent him.

“As he was leaving court on Monday he raised his hands to the family and ANC members to ask for forgiveness and even the police began pushing him to continue to walk back to the holding cells. However, that does not answer so many of the questions the family has.”

He said the family may be happy that the trial in the case was no longer delayed by postponements as that used to stress them, but a simple and short trial that just ends with a simple admission of guilt will not be enough.

The family has also denied that Matsena and Thoka were related or family friends even though they came from the same village in Limpopo.

People actually said the senseless killing of Matsena in his own bedroom shook and hurt so many people because he was the chairperson on the portfolio committee on community safety at the time of his death.

ANC spokesperson Bones Modise said even though there was a fear of never finding out the motive behind Matsena’s killing, it was too soon for the party to make an official comment on that until the trial concludes, as all those details could still be uncovered.

Pretoria News

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