Staff Reporter
The Free State High Court sitting in Welkom has sentenced Itumeleng Godfrey Sani to life imprisonment for killing his girlfriend about two years ago.
Acting Judge Collin Nekosie sentenced Sani, 46, for killing Maria Mokhoumathe, 43, on November 1, 2019.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said in a statement the deceased left with the accused on the day of the incident for a sleepover at Sani’s home and that was the last time she was seen alive by her two daughters.
He said later that night, the eldest daughter received a call from her mother’s cellular phone but there was no one speaking from the other side.
She became suspicious and called several times but the phone was still not answered and eventually it went on voicemail.
“Sani arrived at the deceased’s home the following day pretending that he had been sent by the deceased to get her alcohol which the eldest daughter gave him,” said Shuping.
“He wanted to create an impression that the deceased is still alive. The deceased’s daughter continued calling her cellular phone without success. They became worried because it was unlike their mother to disappear without making contact,” he added.
Three days later, on November 4, the deceased’s daughters confronted Sani and demanded that he give them keys to his house so that they can see for themselves that their mother is not there.
They took the keys and went to Sani’s house.
Upon entering the house, they discovered their mother’s decomposing body on the bed.
She was handcuffed and had a robe around her neck and legs.
There was no sign of forced entry.
“In court, the accused denied killing the deceased. He said he left her in the house on 2 November when he went on a drinking spree and only returned to the house on 4 November when he was confronted by the deceased’s daughters,” said Shuping in the statement.
State prosecutor Advocate Tseko Komane submitted a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Khantse Sikhosana.
In the VIS the eldest daughter said that she had to play the role of a mother to her younger sister and as a result she failed Grade 10 twice.
The youngest daughter said she no longer trusts men because her mother died in the hands of a man she trusted.
Komane argued that a network of facts presented before the court supported only one conclusion and that is the deceased was killed by Sani.
“Killing of intimate partners is a serious problem in our country. The deceased was killed in the most gruesome and barbaric way. The murder was premeditated taking into account the manner in which the deceased was restrained and strangled to death. The accused deserves a harsh punishment,” Komane told court.
Judge Nekosie agreed with the prosecutor and sentenced Sani to life imprisonment.