By: ANG Reporter
The Pretoria High Court sitting in Palm Ridge sentenced Mojalefa Simon Mokoena (57) to 25 years direct imprisonment for killing a lesbian, the National Prisecuting Authority (NPA) announced on Wednesday.
Mokoena was sentenced to 25 years for pre-meditated murder, 8 years for attempted murder and 5 years for the two counts of assault.
The judge ordered that the sentence run concurrently. He was also found unfit to possess a firearm.
On 12 February 2021 the deceased Bonang Precious Gaelae and her partner Fracinah Mohanoe, who is also a complainant in the matter, had gone to purchase airtime from a tuck shop which was inside a yard that Mokoena owned.
An altercation broke between the couple and Mokoena. Mokoena assaulted the couple, who decided to leave and go buy the airtime elsewhere.
As they left Mokoena went to his house to get a knife and waited for them. When he saw them approaching he threw a brick at them, which hit Mohanoe.
Mokoena proceeded to stab her and her partner. The community members stopped Mokoena, called the police and took the couple to the nearby hospital where Goelae was pronounced dead on arrival due to stab wounds.
Mokoena was arrested the following day after Mohanoe did a pointing out to the police. Mokoena has been in custody since, after the prosecutor successfully opposed bail.
In the Victim Impact Statement (VIM) the mother of the deceased said she is hurt because she lost her only child who left behind her two minor children. Mohanoe said she is hurt because not only did she lose the love of her life but suffered financially because of her medical costs and is now suffering psychologically after she diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Advocate Salome Scheepers told the court that gender-based violence and hate crimes are a profound and widespread problem in South Africa, impacting on almost every aspect of life. They are a violation of human rights. The accused was not provoked but targeted defenceless women even after they left his premises.
She therefore asked the court to impose a sentence that will send a message to the community.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi thanks the assistance of the community and the role they played, together with the investigating officer Sgt Phale, that led to conviction and sentence.
He further said he hopes that this sentence will send a message that hate crimes will not be tolerated.
