Former police officer sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of teenage girl. Image: SAPS.
Former officer gets life imprisonment for murdering teenage girl
Provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the former officer and victim stayed at the same homestead.
Former police officer sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of teenage girl. Image: SAPS.
A 29-year-old former Limpopo police officer has been sentenced for murdering a 15-year-old girl in 2020.
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FORMER OFFICER CONVICTED IN POLOKWANE HIGH COURT
The former police officer has been convicted and sentenced in the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo, as reported by IOL.
Lesiba Machabaphala, 29, who worked in the police’s Protection Security Services unit, was convicted of the murder of 15-year-old Dimakatso Alicia Mohlaloga. He was also convicted of attempted murder, failure to lock away a firearm, malicious damage to property, endangering lives, and defeating the ends of justice.
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NPA SPOKESPERSON ON THE CASE
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the former police officer and the victim stayed at the same homestead. On 2 October 2020, Machabaphala was moving around in the house carrying his firearm.
The court heard he fired 14 shots at the door where the girl and her mother were sleeping. The door leading to the teen’s room was damaged and one of the bullets struck her.
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MACHABAPHALA PLEADS NOT GUILTY
The court also heard how Machabaphala refused for the teen to be taken to the hospital. Instead, he told one of the witnesses to transport him, his wife, and his child away from the scene. He hid his firearm at a nearby shelter.
During the trial, Machabaphala pleaded not guilty. After he was convicted, his defence counsel said that Machabaphala was a first-time offender. He has lost his job and had been in custody since 2020.
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State advocate Ronald Sithada submitted to the court that “Machabaphala had shown no remorse and only admitted to killing the teen during mitigation for a lesser sentence.”
The State called for a life imprisonment sentence.
Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Ivy Thenga said that the NPA welcomed the sentences and hoped it sent a strong message that no one was above the law.
