By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
5 August 2025- A man (48) was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. The accused, Kabelo Ishmael Mogongwa was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Taung Regional Court for the murder of his intimate partner, Tsholofelo Juliet Emphokile (38).
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Sivenathi Gunya said Mogongwa was also sentenced to an additional five years imprisonment for possession of a firearm.
“Both sentences are ordered to run concurrently. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on 2 February 2024, in Khibicwane village, near Taung, where Mogongwa and Emphokile had returned from a local tavern after consuming alcohol.
“Upon arriving at the accused’s residence, an altercation ensued during which Mogongwa became aggressive towards the deceased. A witness, who is Mogongwa’s nephew, testified that the couple locked themselves in a room and continued arguing,” he said.
Gunya further said moments later, he heard a gunshot coming from the room. He added that fearing for his life, the nephew fled to seek help from neighbours.
“Upon their arrival, Emphokile’s lifeless body was discovered in the room, having sustained gunshot wounds. The police were called to the scene and Mogongwa was arrested the following day.
“He was denied bail and has remained in custody since. Mogongwa pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, during sentencing, state prosecutor Rebaona Mokgopa, argued that the court should impose a life sentence, stating that no substantial or compelling circumstances had been presented by the defence to warrant a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence,” said Gunya.
In delivering judgment, Regional Court Magistrate Bhuti Zulu highlighted the accused’s lack of remorse and confirmed that there were no valid reasons to depart from the mandatory sentence. Zulu emphasised the court’s duty to protect victims and deliver strong messages of deterrence for crimes of this nature.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, welcomed the sentence and commended Mokgopa and the investigative team for their dedication. Makhari reaffirmed the NPA’s unwavering commitment to combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
“The NPA will continue to ensure that justice is served and that violent crimes will not be tolerated,” She said.
The Guardian 