ACCUSED OF MURDER, KIDNAPPING AND RAPE SENTENCED TO TWO LIFE TERMS IMPRISONMENT BY POLOKWANE HIGH COURT
POLOKWANE: The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has warmly welcomed the outcome of two life imprisonment conviction meted out by the High Court Division of Polokwane to the accused of kidnapping, rape and murder of a minor.
On Friday 07 July 2023,
the High Court Division of Polokwane convicted and sentenced a 26-year-old male Lehogonolo Masehla to 2 life terms and further 10 years imprisonment for kidnapping, rape and murder of a 6 year old girl.
The Court heard that the accused Lehlogonolo kidnapped, raped and killed a 6-year-old girl who was reported missing by her family. It is reported that the victim was last seen playing outside her grandmother’s residence. She was found half naked and dead at the accused’s house at Phokoane, Mmakophala village in Sekhukhune by the Police and members of the community on 30 August 2021.
The accused was subsequently arrested and the case of kidnapping, rape and murder was opened and transferred to Nebo Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS). The docket was assigned to Detective Warrant Officer Moses Mmatema for investigation.
The case has was initially trialed in Nebo Magistrate’s Court and later transferred to High Court Division of Polokwane for further hearing.
Detective Warrant Officer Moses Mmatema ensured that the accused Lehlogonolo was never granted bail, until he was found quilty on the following counts of offences:
1.count 1- Murder – Life Imprisonment
2.count 2 – Rape – Life Imprisonment
3.count 3 – Kidnapping – 10 year in imprisonment
The sentence terms will run concurrently, and
the accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
