Khopotso Danny Mokholobotho, who admitted to killing his girlfriend in Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni last year, was on Monday sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail.

Mokholobotho pleaded guilty in the high court in Johannesburg to murder, defeating the ends of justice and theft after entering into a plea and sentencing agreement with the state.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said Mokholobotho was in a relationship with the mother of his child, Tshepiso Maekisa. She visited him in Vosloorus on January 10 2021.

“They had a fight over a woman’s clothes found in his wardrobe and the accused assaulted Maekisa and thereafter tied a rope around her neck and strangled her.

“He later, with the assistance of a companion, removed the body from the scene and dumped it in Heidelberg where it was discovered three days later,” she said.

 The court sentenced Mokholobotho to 20 years for murder, three years for defeating the ends of justice and seven years for theft. The sentences would run concurrently.

Mjonondwane said senior state advocate Victor Mongwane argued that the court should take into account the high degree of violence against a defenceless woman.

The attack was senseless, brutal and unnecessary and the interests of the community and that of Maekisa’s family required that Mkholobotho be dealt with severely by the court.

Acting judge Ian Cox ruled that the cumulative effect of mitigating factors constituted substantial and compelling circumstances, warranting a lesser sentence than the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.

These factors included that the accused pleaded guilty, therefore showing remorse and taking responsibility for his actions, and that he is a single father of five dependents.

“The NPA condemns any form of violent crime perpetrated against women and applauds the level of commitment portrayed by the investigating officer Warrant Officer Mphele and advocate Victor Mongwane to deliver justice to the Maekisa family,” Mjonondwane said.

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