Woman who hired hitman to kill two relatives gets 30 years in jail

Martha Motladile, a woman who paid a hitman R29,000 to murder her two relatives in 2019, has been sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for each murder.

The National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday that the high court in Bloemfontein also sentenced Molefi Molise to life imprisonment for the murders of Lesang Sarah Motladile and her son Bongani Goodwill Motladile in March 2019, and for the murder of Ernest Mokhele in January that year. 

Lesang Motladile and Bongani Motladile were shot and killed by unknown people using automatic rifles at their home in Ramakgari location near Thaba Nchu. 

When Molise was arrested in Fouriesburg, police seized an R1 automatic rifle which also linked him to the murder of Mokhele in Botshabelo after the accused demanded keys to his vehicle.

“The son of Ernest Mokhele was also arrested as a suspect for orchestrating the murder of his father but was acquitted by the court on evidence,” NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said. 

Senokoatsane said police investigations connected Keletsang Motladile to having hired Molise to kill her two relatives as she had life policies worth R347,000 on them.

“The investigations also proved that Molise was paid R29,000 to kill the two.”

In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Dansi Mpemvane argued for the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences for such heinous crimes. 

The court sentenced Molise to life imprisonment for the three counts of murder, seven years for attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances, 12 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder and 25 years for possession of an automatic rifle without a licence.

The sentences were ordered to run consecutively.

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