A MAN WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR THE MURDER OF HIS GIRLFRIEND
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gauteng Local Division, Advocate Andrew Chauke, welcomes the life imprisonment sentence imposed by the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg to Collen Letsoalo (46), for murdering his girlfriend, Majorie Masehlake Ralefu. He was also sentenced to 18 months for assaulting Thabo Raphudi, which will run concurrently with life imprisonment.
Ralefu was in a shebeen in Tembisa, with her friends in June 2022, when Letsoalo arrived. He was later seen arguing with Ralefu and left the shebeen. Ralefu walked home with Rapudi. On their arrival, Letsoalo came towards them holding a knife. He tried to stab Rapudi, but he missed, then stabbed Ralefu multiple times. She was rushed to the clinic but was declared dead on arrival. Ralefu’s cause of death was determined to be a penetrating incised wound to the neck and chest.
Letsoalo handed himself over to the police and pleaded guilty to the charge of murder. However, Junior State Advocate Leswikane Mashabela did not accept his plea on the basis that he did not admit that the murder was premeditated.
Judge Khumalo remarked that the state proved previous convictions of attempted murder, robbery, and possession of a firearm and ammunition. This was proof enough that Letsoalo has a propensity for violence and that he did not learn any lessons from his past brushes with the law.
Adv. Mashabela and Investigating Officer, Sergeant Phahlane, are applauded for their contribution towards the fight against gender-based violence.
