The Limpopo Polokwane High Court in South Africa has sentenced Kgopotso Mmotse Koma (29), of Mamone Village in Jane Furse, to two life term imprisonment for m8rder and r3pe of an eight-year-old girl.
The court further ordered that the sentence in count one of m8rder should run concurrently with the count of r3pe, the effective sentence to be served is life imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Thursday, February 6, 2025, said the accused pleaded not guilty during the trial and the state-led witnesses.
They testified that on 08 June 2019, at Mamone village, the deceased Pompo Hope Seponye, was at home playing when the accused requested her to buy him cigarettes at a local tuckshop.
After a while, the accused followed the deceased to the shop, and he met her while on her way back. He then took her to a nearby house owned by the accused’s friend.
Upon arrival at the house, the accused r3ped and strangled the deceased.
As it was getting late, the deceased’s parents and the community members started searching for her, and they found the deceased in the house lying on the bed, half naked and d3ad.
The accused fled from the scene and the police arrested him after a few days.
When aggravating the sentence, the state Advocate Rendani Mulaudzi, submitted that the accused was not remorseful of his conduct, and he took advantage of the deceased’s vulnerability.
She further said that the accused violated the deceased’s right to life and due to this offence, the family of the deceased had to relocate to another province as they lived in fear that a similar incident could take place.
She concluded by submitting that there are no substantial or compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Adv. Ivy Thenga welcomed the sentence, and she urged the public to fight against the violence towards women and children.
The DPP further praised the diligent work of Advocate Mulaudzi, and all stakeholders involved in achieving this outcome.
