By BAKANG MOKOTO
3 October 2026 – The Koppies Magistrate’s Court has sentenced Tumelo Theletsane (30) to 25 years imprisonment, with 10 years suspended for five years, after finding him guilty of attempted murder. The sentence stems from an incident that occurred on 18 January 2026 at approximately 7:12am in New Location, Koppies.
The police received a complaint about a fight at a house and responded to the scene, where they found a shack that had been burned. The preliminary investigations revealed that Theletsane had allegedly set the shack alight and stabbed his girlfriend.
The Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani said she was found unconscious and taken to a neighbour’s house before being transported to hospital for medical treatment. Rani said a case was assigned to Detective Constable Sebolelo Khoza, who conducted a thorough investigation that resulted in Theletsane being convicted and sentenced.
“The sentence was handed down on 9 September 2026. We welcome the sentence and commend the investigating officer for ensuring that the matter was thoroughly investigated.
“The thorough investigation conducted by Khoza ensured that the suspect was brought before the court and held accountable for his actions. The sentence demonstrates the seriousness with which incidents of violence against women are treated,” she said.
Rani further said the South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to encourage victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and members of the public to report such incidents to the police.
