Members of the Maditse family in Soweto have finally found closure after a trusted friend of the family who raped and brutally murdered their child was handed a life sentence.
Jacob Mokibe, who was a parolee at the time he committed the crime, was found guilty on Monday by the high court in Johannesburg for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Mathlogonolo Maditse in February 2022.
Reports say the convict was friends with the deceased’s uncle and that he allegedly wanted to have a romantic relationship with the mother of the deceased girl.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mokibe confessed to the crime when he was admitted to Jabulani Hospital in Soweto.
He was convicted of four counts ranging from abduction, rape, murder, and obstructing and defeating the administration of justice.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana said the minor left home for school on the fateful day unaware that the convict was waiting for her at the school gate in Dobsonville.
“Mokibe called the minor to inform her that her family had gone to the bushes to pray and that he was going to accompany her to where her family was,” said Mjonondwana.
“The deceased followed the accused as she regarded him as her uncle since he was her uncle’s friend.
“On arrival at a bushy area in Dube, the accused raped and thereafter strangled the minor to death. He [then] waited for some time to make sure that the girl was dead.”
According to police reports, Mokibe placed the deceased’s body in the reeds to ensure that no one would be able to find her.
Mjonondwana explained further: “He fled the scene and went to meet up with a friend, where he consumed drugs and alcohol. This affected his health as he was suffering from hypertension, and was admitted to Jabulani Hospital.
“In March 2022, he was arrested for violating his parole conditions and whilst incarcerated, he confessed to the murder of Maditse and subsequently pointed out the crime scene to the police and the child’s body was discovered.”
Mokibe was referred to the Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital for a risk assessment for purposes of sentencing.
The report, which was compiled by the institution, stated that Mokibe demonstrated a high risk of re-offending and that he posed a danger to society.
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