POTCHEFSTROOM – The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Dintletse Molefe welcomed life imprisonment sentence handed down to Levy Suping Selebogo (39) by the North West High Court on Friday, 28 May 2021 for murder.

Selebogo was arrested in May 2018 in Gopane village for the murder of Keitumetse Nkgothoe, then aged 75. The old woman was found with a wound on the head in her house in the early hours of Friday morning, 16 March 2018 at Gopane village. She was subsequently taken to the clinic where she was certified dead.

Consequent to the incident, members of the community took the law into their own hands and allegedly killed the then 25-year-old Lloyd Nkgothoe after being accused of the murder of the old woman.

A thorough investigation by a team comprising of Motswedi, Groot Marico and Zeerust detectives working together with Motswedi Visible Policing resulted in the capture of Selebogo. Further investigation into the matter revealed that at the time of the incident, Selebogo was on parole after being sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in 2004 for house robbery.

The accused was ultimately found guilty and sentenced as follows:

Count 1: house breaking to rob, robbery and murder: seven years imprisonment

Count 2: robbery with aggravating circumstances: 20 years imprisonment

Count 3: murder: life imprisonment

The accused was further declared unfit to possess firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000).

The Acting Provincial Commissioner applauded team members for their diligence and efficient utilisation of investigative aids that led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the accused. She said that the sentence will certainly convey a clear message that no mercy will be shown to merciless criminals. The General also pointed out that this case will serve as a caution to the public that taking the law into one’s hands can lead to loss of innocent lives.

Source: South African Police Service