The Bafokeng Regional Court in Tlhabane, North West, South Africa sentenced 42-year-old Buti Solomon Phege to 20 years direct imprisonment after convicting him on charges of m_rder and r@pe.
The sentences divided into 12 and eight years respectively for the serious charges will not run concurrently, according to North West provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
Phege was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the Firearms Control Act.
“It was reported that Ikgopoleng Motshabi and woman left an entertainment place at Lethabong village outside Rustenburg in the early hours of Sunday morning, 16 July 2017, to go home. The convict who earlier attempted to propose love to Motshabi’s companion, followed the pair,” said Mokgwabone.
Motshabi and his lover were at the woman’s place when Phege stabbed Motshabi multiple times all over his body.
“He then forcefully took the woman to his place where he thre@tened her with a knife and r@ped her. Motshabi was certified de@d at the scene,” said Mokgwabone.
Police were alerted about the incidents and separate cases of m_rder and r@pe were registered.
Phege handed himself to the police after the incident and has been in custody since the 2017 incidents.
In passing the sentences, the court ordered that Phege should not be released on parole without the permission of the deceased’s man’s siblings and the woman he raped.
Meanwhile, North West provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and director of public prosecution, Dr Rachel Makhari have commended the investigating officer, Detective Constable Molefe Kgabo, the public prosecutor, advocate Zola Mpayipheli and other role players “for their patience and cooperation” which resulted in the conviction.
IOL
