He then hid his firearm in a nearby shelter.
He pleaded not guilty.
In mitigation, the defence submitted that the accused is a first-time offender, he is a breadwinner, he has two minor children, he lost his employment, he has been in custody since 2020, and he may have been under the influence of alcohol when committing the offence.
In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Ronald Sithada submitted that the accused is not remorseful, he only admitted to have killed the deceased in mitigation, hoping for lesser sentence, and that the mother of the deceased lost her only child.
He added the community hoped to get protection from him as a police officer but instead he killed one of their own. The state advocate asked for life sentence, and argued that there are no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
The court sentenced Machabaphala to 25 years imprisonment for murder, five years for attempted murder, two years for failure to lock away a firearm in a prescribed manner, one year for malicious damage to property, two years for endangering the life of others by shooting negligently and five years for defeating the ends of justice.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will spend an effective 25 years in prison.
The NPA welcomed the sentence and said it hopes it will send a strong message that no-one is above the law.
The director of public prosecutions in Limpopo, advocate Ivy Thenga, applauded the work of the state prosecutor and Ipid investigator in the case.
TimesLIVE
Former cop sentenced to 25 years for murder of neighbour’s 15-year-old daughter
Image: 123RF/EVGENYI LASTOCHKIN
A former police officer has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the murder of a 15-year-old girl who he killed in 2020.
The former cop, Lesiba Machabaphala, 29, was sentenced by the high court in Polokwane, Limpopo for the murder of his neighbour’s child, Dimakatso Alicia Mohlaloga, who was in October 2020.
NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Machabaphala was also convicted of attempted murder, failure to lock away a firearm in a prescribed manner, malicious damage to property, endangering the life of others by shooting negligently and defeating the ends of justice.
“The accused and the deceased were staying in the same homestead as tenants. On October 2 2020, the accused was seen moving about the house carrying a firearm, he then fired about fourteen shots at the door wherein the deceased and her mother were sleeping.
The door leading to the deceased’s room was damaged and one of the bullets struck her. The accused further refused to allow the deceased to be taken to hospital.
According to Malabi-Dzhangi, Machabaphala then instructed a witness to transport him, his wife, and their child away from the scene.
Ex-cop accused of kidnapping and assault
He then hid his firearm in a nearby shelter.
He pleaded not guilty.
In mitigation, the defence submitted that the accused is a first-time offender, he is a breadwinner, he has two minor children, he lost his employment, he has been in custody since 2020, and he may have been under the influence of alcohol when committing the offence.
In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Ronald Sithada submitted that the accused is not remorseful, he only admitted to have killed the deceased in mitigation, hoping for lesser sentence, and that the mother of the deceased lost her only child.
He added the community hoped to get protection from him as a police officer but instead he killed one of their own. The state advocate asked for life sentence, and argued that there are no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
The court sentenced Machabaphala to 25 years imprisonment for murder, five years for attempted murder, two years for failure to lock away a firearm in a prescribed manner, one year for malicious damage to property, two years for endangering the life of others by shooting negligently and five years for defeating the ends of justice.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will spend an effective 25 years in prison.
The NPA welcomed the sentence and said it hopes it will send a strong message that no-one is above the law.
The director of public prosecutions in Limpopo, advocate Ivy Thenga, applauded the work of the state prosecutor and Ipid investigator in the case.
TimesLIVE
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