A North West police officer and her co-accused have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of an alleged intruder.
Fifty-one-year-old Mathapelo Sechoko and her co-accused, Rosina Tlhalatsi, 63, and William Tshilo, 72, appeared before the Atamelang Regional Court on Friday.
National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson, Henry Mamothame, said the deceased, 28-year-old Thabang Keikabile, was killed in January at the home of Sechoko.
It is alleged that Keikabile broke in at Sechoko’s home and stole some items a day before he was killed.
Said Mamothame: “The conviction is linked to an incident that took place in Setlagole village on 06 January 2019, wherein Sechoko, who was a police officer, together with her accomplices, accosted Keikabile and took him to her house, where he allegedly stole some items the previous day. They then assaulted him with sticks and sjamboks until he died.
“Police reports revealed that Sechoko’s vehicle was used to trace Keikabile before he was apprehended and taken to where he was murdered. The court further heard how Sechoko participated in the assault when she could have reported the matter to the police to ensure that all the processes are within the ambit of the law. She instead led a group of community members to act illegally, by taking the law into their hands.”
Mamothame said a warrant of arrest has been issued for a fourth suspect, who evaded mid-trial.
“In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Nangamso Goloda urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, owing to the serious nature of the crime committed. He further argued that Sechoko should have known and acted better, as a law enforcement officer who is mandated to protect and uphold the law,” Mamothame said.
She added that Magistrate Stephen Du Toit asserted in court that the minimum sentence legislation was introduced for the purpose of “effectively dealing with serious crimes”. Du Toit said the “elderly status of Tlhalatsi and Tshilo did not hold any compelling circumstances to justify deviation from the prescribed life imprisonment”.
Lauding the sentence, Director of Public Prosecutions Rachel Makhari Sekhoalele said: “This conviction will certainly educate community members not to take the law into their own hands, but report all criminal elements to law authorities.”
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