The Mogwase regional court in North West on Monday sentenced six men to lengthy jail terms for mob justice which resulted in murder.
The suspects – Fanie Maphonkolo, 29, Tumelo Masisi, 37, Neo Lebeloane, 29, Oupa Mosesi, 35, Goitsemang Khunou, 28, and Esrom Mafoko,42 – each received 15 years for murder and a further 10 years for attempted murder.
The court ordered that five years from the attempted murder charge run concurrently with the 15 years. This means the group will serve an effective 20 years in prison.
Henry Mamothame, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said: “Their conviction emanates from an incident that occurred on 27 December 2018 at Ramokala village, where Andries Mabula and Mogomotsi Mojela were taken from their homes to a bus stop and brutally assaulted by members of the community.
The victims were brutalised for being suspected of having been paid R3 000 to kill Maphonkolo and Masisi.
“The two sustained serious injuries from the ordeal and they were rushed to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
“Mojela later succumbed to death because of the injuries. The surviving victim had to be relocated to another province as a result of threats made towards him prior to the commencement of trial.”
State prosecutor William Lebelo urged the court to impose a sentence befitting the crime and one that will send a strong message to the community not to take matters into their own hands.
Magistrate Herbert Modiba agreed with Lebelo and remarked that the accused violated the deceased right to life, the surviving victim’s right to bodily integrity and security, and his right to be free from being subjected to violence.
The director of public prosecutions in North West, Rachel Makhari Sekhaolelo, and provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena lauded the police for their collaboration leading to the conviction.
They urged members of the public not to take the law into their own hands but to report crime to authorities.
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