Daily Archives: March 28, 2014

Man jailed for raping, killing a pregnant teen


Pretoria – The 26-year-old man convicted of murdering pregnant teenager Zanele Khumalo was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the North Gauteng High Court on Friday.

“The sentence I impose is the following: on count one, murder, you are sentenced to 20 years imprisonment,” Judge Johan Kruger said.

Thato Kutumela, dressed in white, stood as Kruger told him that he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for rape and six months for theft.

“Sentences imposed regarding count two and three will run concurrently with count one,” he said.

Kutumela was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

As Kruger read the sentence there were people saying “yes” and “amen”.

As Kutumela made his way down to the cells the people in court started clapping hands. A member of the ANC Women’s League said a prayer in court afterwards.

Stole Khumalo’s underwear to hide evidence

Khumalo’s family members, including her parents, sat in the front row of the public gallery wearing black T-shirts with her face printed on them.

Kutumela was found guilty in November last year of murdering and raping the mother of his unborn child.

She was found dead at her parents’ home in Garsfontein, Pretoria east, in April 2011.

He was also found guilty of stealing the teenager’s nightclothes and underwear to hide the fact that he had raped her.

He did not testify, but claimed in his plea explanation they had consensual sex that morning and that she was alive and well when he left.

This was after he initially claimed, at the magistrate’s court, that he had been at work all day.

Khumalo’s naked body was discovered under a blanket on her bed when her parents arrived home from work.

They rushed her to hospital, but she had by then already been dead for about six hours.
SAPA

Maphoitsile rape accused denied bail


By Obakeng Maje
Taung-A 47 year- old accused, Phetlha Bernard Montsheng appeared in the Taung Magistrate’s Court on charges of raping an 86 year-old victim at Maphoitsile village in Taung on Saturday at about 01:30 in the morning, says captain Pelonomi Makau.

The accused is still in custody and will appear again on 3 April 2014 for bail application.

“It alleged that the victim’s daughter heard her mother screaming in her bedroom and she went to investigate.  As she entered the bedroom the suspect pushed her, broke the window and fled the scene” Makau said. 

The daughter screamed for help and the community members apprehended the suspect and allegedly assaulted him. 

The suspect sustained injuries and was admitted at the Taung hospital under police guard where he was released on 25 March 2014.-TDN
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Sundowns take the lead in Q3


Mamelodi Sundowns are keeping the pressure on Kaizer Chiefs both for the League title as well as for Q3 following Tuesday’s win over Platinum Stars.

The Brazilians now sit on top of the Q3 table and have one match left to play (at home against Bloemfontein Celtic) but Chiefs have two matches left (both at home against Golden Arrows and Black Aces).

Bidvest Wits still have an outside chance of snatching the Q3 prize money if they manage to win all three of their remaining matches against Arrows (A), Platinum Stars (H) and Orlando Pirates (H).

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: This weekend’s League fixtures are Q4 fixtures, with only one fixture counting towards Q3 – Arrows vs Wits tomorrow.

Remaining Q3 fixtures:

29/3 Golden Arrows   vs  Bidvest Wits        20:15
1/4  Platinum Stars    vs  Moroka Swallows 18:30
2/4  Kaizer Chiefs      vs  Golden Arrows     19:30
2/4  SuperSport Utd   vs  Maritzburg Utd    19:30
8/4  Univ. of Pretoria  vs  Moroka Swallows 19:30      
8/4  Free State Stars  vs  SuperSport Utd   19:30
9/4  Kaizer Chiefs       vs  Black Aces          19:30      
9/4  Sundowns           vs  Bloem Celtic        19:30          
9/4  Ajax Cape Town   vs  Golden Arrows    19:30
9/4  Bidvest Wits        vs  Platinum Stars    19:30    
9/4  Polokwane City    vs  Maritzburg Utd    19:30
30/4 Bidvest Wits       vs  Orlando Pirates   19:30
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Premier Modise welcomes former educator’s statutory rape sentence


North West Premier Thandi Modise has welcomed the four year imprisonment sentence given to a 39-year-old former Mahikeng High School female educator who was found guilty of statutory rape.

  

Premier Modise said that the sentence given to Geraldine Leonie Sheldon-Lakey by the Molopo Regional Court should sent an unequivocal message to adults who are betraying the trust of acting in loco-parentis by manipulating and taking advantage of vulnerable minors.

 

In welcoming the sentence, Premier Modise commented the parent of the learner for her vigilance that led to the discovery of voice recordings and pictures on her child’s cellphone that proved that the educator had an improper sexual and unprofessional relationship with the learner who was 15 year-old at the time.

 

“The support that the school and the parent gave the child has given him confidence to overcome the psychological pressure of dealing with the case and focus on his future,” Premier Modise said.  

 

The married mother of two was dismissed from employment by the Mafikeng High School Governing Body in December 2012 for conducting herself in a shameful and unbecoming manner and in violation of the South African Council of Educators Code of Professional Ethics.

 

Premier Modise appealed to parents to take interest in what is stored on their children’s cellphones and with whom they are chatting on social network platforms such as facebook, Mixit etc. 

According to National Prosecuting Authority Regional Spokesperson, Frank Lesenyego, Sheldon-Lakey had pleaded not guilty to the charges and after her sentencing, she successfully applied for leave of appeal.

 

“Her bail of R1000 has been extended pending the outcome of her appeal,” Lesenyego said.-TDN
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Premier Modise welcomes Blydeville rapist’s sentence


Blydeville-North West Premier Thandi Modise has welcomed the 20 year sentence given to Blydeville rapist Thabiso Mogale and called on communities to intensify united action against the scourge of rape and gender based violence.

“Women in Blydeville will be safer with the heartless Mogale removed from society. We applaud police for investigations that resulted in a successful prosecution. The sentence should encourage women to report rape incidents,” Premier Modise said.

According to police, 22 year-old Mogale was sentenced on Tuesday in the North West High Court after admitting and pleading guilty to charges.  

“Crimes were committed at Blydeville outside Lichtenburg in 2010 and 2011 respectively and they are 6 counts of rape, 1 attempted murder and 1assault Grevious bodily harm (GBH)” Captain Pelonomi Makau said.-TDN
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Taung men appear in court for stealing goats


By Obakeng Maje
Vryburg-Three suspects who were allegedly arrested for stealing goats and sheep in Choseng village, near Pudumoe appeared before Vryburg Magistrate Court on Thursday.

Sylvester Lecholo(32), Boitumelo Mofane(24) and Kabelo Leburu(40) were arrested by Vryburg police after they spotted a suspicious hearse travelling on N18.

Police allegedly spotted a car and stopped and searched it.

“The police found goats carcasses in a hearse and the suspects could not explained where they get the goats. Police arrested them and they burged and took the police to Vryburg-Taung road near Choseng village where they stole the goats” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

Police allegedly found the skin and head of one of goats.

The suspects appeared before court and were granted a bail of R500 each.

They will be back in court on the 16 May 2014.-TDN
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Oscar likely to take the stand


Johannesburg –  Legal experts agreed that murder accused Oscar Pistorius was “very likely” to take the stand on Friday in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to shed light on the night he fatally shot Reeva Steenkamp.
“It is very, very, very likely that he will testify based on the nature of the defence that he is relying on,” University of Cape Town law lecturer Kelly Phelps said on the eve of the resumption of the trial.

It was common practice in South Africa for the defence to call the accused first, she said.

Pistorius needed to testify to prove that he mistakenly believed Steenkamp was an intruder.

“The only way to suggest some evidence is for the accused to take the stand. How else would his subjective state of mind be tested,” said Phelps.

Wits School of Law Professor Stephen Tuson said Pistorius risked conviction if he did not testify.

“If he does testify, he should testify first to prevent an accusation that he tailored his evidence,” said Tuson.

“The defence do not want the prosecution to say the evidence of the accused was tailored to match the evidence of the witnesses.”

Criminal law expert William Booth said it was important to remember the defence had no burden of proof.

“We know that Oscar shot four times into a toilet – he thought it was an intruder. That was what he said during bail,” said Booth.

“Looking at all the evidence the State presented, he is going to have to give evidence and be subjected to cross examination.”

Premeditated murder

The State closed its case on Tuesday after it called 21 of the 107 witnesses on its witness list.

The witnesses included Pistorius’s neighbours, a security guard at his estate, the pathologist, ballistic expert, cellphone expert, Pistorius’s ex-girlfriend and former friends.

Pistorius is on trial for the murder of Steenkamp, who was shot through the locked toilet door of his Pretoria home on 14 February last year.

He said he had mistaken her for an intruder.

However, the State said the murder was premeditated.

He has pleaded not guilty and in his plea statement denied they had argued shortly before the shooting.

He also faces two charges related to contraventions of the Firearms Control Act.

On Tuesday his legal team said he would testify in his own defence.

“I don’t think we have a choice. The question is when,” a member of Pistorius’s legal team, Brian Webber, at the time.

After prosecutor Gerrie Nel indicated on Tuesday that the State closed its case Advocate Barry Roux for Pistorius asked for the adjournment to see which witnessed the defence could possibly call.

Tuson said Pistorius’s defence team had various options including applying for an acquittal in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

“If the defence feels that the prosecution has not succeeded in bringing sufficient evidence in conviction of the accused they can bring an application,” he said.

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