Pretoria – The man, in his twenties, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Thohoyandou Regional Court, after he was convicted of rape and murder of a teenage girl in Giyani.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said Novice Mathebula was convicted of the murder which took place on Christmas Day of 2020.
“The trial court found that the accused met the 15-year-old victim, who knew him when she came with friends at Mavalani village under Giyani policing area to celebrate Christmas Day.
“He then offered to buy her chips but later when they returned to their place of residence in Bon'wani village, the accused followed them and grabbed the victim,” Mojapelo said.
Mathebula then forced the teenager into a liquor establishment, where he offered to buy her liquor.
“The victim declined and pleaded with the man to let her go but he refused and instead forcibly took her to the nearby bushes at knifepoint, while reminding her that he bought her the chips earlier,” Mojapelo said.
“On arrival, the accused raped the defenceless girl and thereafter strangled her. He then dumped the body in a dam and put a huge rock on top in an attempt to cover the heinous crime.”
The body was later found by a fisherman, who immediately alerted the police.
Detective Constable Emmanuel Fulufhelo Nndwambi was assigned to investigate the case, “and he did outstanding work” of positively linking the suspect with the murder.
Mathebula was traced and arrested in Protea Glen, south of Soweto in Gauteng, with the assistance of the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD).
He appeared in court, seeking bail on several occasions but his bid failed, and he was kept in custody until the sentencing on Wednesday.
Provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the “hefty” sentence and commended the investigating officer “for the diligent work”.
IOL