Phoka Lekoba (32) was on Friday, 6 May, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, where he is due to spend 22 years behind bars for brutal murder of a couple, that emanated from June last year.
The hefty sentence was handed down by the Welkom Regional Court.
According to Lejweleputswa police spokesperson Stephen Thakeng, it is alleged that eight foreign national men visited a shebeen for their drinking spree when a fight took charge between the group.
“The 63 year old husband who was a former mine worker, his 40 year old wife and 20 year old daughter were at home in Welkom. While these men were busy drinking an argument erupted and the shebeen owner tried to stop them from fighting by chasing them out of his yard,” addressed Thakeng.
“One of them drew a firearm and fatally wounded the husband, the assailant ensured that he was dead because several shots were fired at close range,” he added.
“They went inside the house and attempted to rape the wife but could not succeed. She was fatally wounded inside the house.
The assailants took alcohol, grocery and cash and the daughter was forced out of the house to a nearby bush. They tried to rape her but a police vehicle passed by and they left her there to disappear in the bush.
“The shebeen owner tried to intervene but he was fatally wounded with his wife,” Thakeng further detailed.
Thakeng explained that, there was also an attempt to rape both the mother and her daughter.
He said the other seven suspects will remain in custody while investigations continues.
A case of double murder, house robbery and attempted rape was registered for further investigation.
“Welkom Serious and Violent Crimes Unit was assigned to investigate the case which led to seven suspects arrested. The eighth suspect aged 32-years-old was arrested at Stilfontein in North West Province by Detective Warrant Officer Elliot Khutsoane of Welkom Detective Services,” explained Thakeng.
The suspects were found guilty as charged by Welkom Regional Court.
The case against the seven suspects is still under investigation and they will appear before court for sentencing on the 13 May 2022.
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