Father Lucas Mmakgathi Gets 25 Years for Strangling His 2-Year-Old Son in North West
- Lucas Kgosi Mmakgathi, 49, was sentenced by the Madikwe Regional Court on 14 August 2026 for the murder of his toddler son
- The court heard that Mmakgathi deceived the child's mother before taking the boy to a nearby bush, where he killed him
- North West SAPS Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a clear message on child violence
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NORTH WEST — A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of murdering his two-year-old son in the North West province of South Africa.
The Madikwe Regional Court handed down the sentence against Lucas Kgosi Mmakgathi on Friday, 14 August 2026, following his conviction for the killing of his toddler at Siga Village on 4 May 2024.
How the murder unfolded
According to evidence presented in court, Mmakgathi told the child's mother he wanted to take their son to Rustenburg to buy him toys. Once entrusted with the boy, he instead led the child into a nearby bush and strangled him to death using a shoelace. It emerged that the two parents had argued shortly before the incident took place.
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Mmakgathi had remained in custody since his arrest in May 2024, having been denied bail throughout the proceedings.
The State argued that Mmakgathi's guilty plea should carry no mitigating weight given the gravity of the crime. The court accepted this submission and imposed the 25-year direct imprisonment sentence. As additional conditions, Mmakgathi was declared unfit to possess a firearm and may not be considered for parole without the consent of the deceased child's family.
SAPS commends investigators
North West Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams welcomed the outcome, commending Detective Constable Noncedo Sovag from Madikwe SAPS and Detective Sergeant Luckboy Lucas Zuma from the North West Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit for their work on the case. He also praised the prosecution team for successfully bringing the matter before court.
Adams stated that the sentence reinforces the SAPS' commitment to protecting vulnerable children and delivers a measure of justice to the bereaved family.
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Public reaction on the Facebook page to the sentencing was largely critical of the term imposed. Several commenters felt 25 years was insufficient for the nature of the crime.
@Philani Dube wrote:
"Strangling an innocent child. That sentence is a slap on the wrist."
@Starcolli Starcolli added:
"25 years is nothing, truly speaking, for someone who planned to kill someone."
@George Crown said:
"I would not allow him parole if I was the family member. He must spend a total of 25 years in prison."
@Innocent T Lewandowski responded emotionally:
"Eeerh, the love I have for my boy 🙌🙌🙌... You can't kill an innocent child like that 💔"
@Tshimangadzo Lekgotla Matala expressed support for the investigating team:
"Well done, colleagues 👏"
See the Facebook post below:
More South Africa crime stories making headlines
- Briefly News recently reported on the tragic deaths of Cameron Waldeck-Cook and her boyfriend, with police probing claims that jealousy and social media monitoring may have played a role.
- In another shocking case, leaked CCTV footage has raised questions about where Reiger Park murder accused Regan Collis was when two police officers were killed.
- Meanwhile, Limpopo police officers gathered in Mokopane for a special Police Sunday service as senior officials and community leaders came together in prayer.
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Source: Briefly News
