By REGINALD KANYANE
17 November 2024– A man (45) was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment by the Mogwase Regional Court for murder, malicious damage to property and arson. In the early hours of the morning on Thursday, 17 August 2023, Elias Phure Mosime went to a house in Bapong 2 village, near Mabeskraal, where he searched for his ex-girlfriend.
The house also has a tuck shop attached to it. The convict set the shop and nearby structure on fire, whilst his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend fled from the structure.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh said neighbours called the owner of the shop and informed her that her shop was on fire. Myburgh said the neighbour also called another employee, Zanele Mvelase (50), who is living nearby to assess the situation.
“On arrival at the tuck shop, Mvelase saw Mosime and pelted him with stones. Mosime approached Mvelase and stabbed him multiple times to death. He was declared dead on the scene by Emergency and Medical Rescue Services (EMRS).
“In a short-while, the owner of the tuckshop arrived at the scene in her Toyota Fortuner. Mosime confronted her, whilst she was sitting inside the vehicle. She managed to jump out of the vehicle and fled,’ she said. Myburgh further said Mosime then broke all the windows of the vehicle and also set it alight. She added that the police were called to the scene and arrested him. Mosime.
“Mosime was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder, 3 years for malicious damage to property and 5 years for arson. The sentences on count 2 and 3, will run concurrently with count 1.
“Mosime was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearm Control Act, Act 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000),” said Myburgh.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Director for Public Prosecution, Dr Rachel Makhari, applauded the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Gaabocwe Thomas Molapong of Mabeskraal Detectives and the state prosecutor, for their collaboration and diligence to ensure that the convict was put behind bars.
The Guardian 