57 Year Old Man Gets 25 Year Sentence for Hate Crime Assault of Lesbian Couple After Clash at His Spaza Shop

• A 57-year-old man has been given 25 years in prison for the vicious attack on a lesbian couple in 2021
• Mojalefa Simon Mokoena assaulted the couple and ended up killing one of them after an altercation at his tuck shop
• Mokoena was also sentenced for the attempted murder of Fracinah Mohanoe plus two counts of assault

PRETORIA - The Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, Johannesburg, has sentenced 57-year-old Mojalefa Simon Mokoena to 25 years in prison for the brutal assault of a lesbian couple and the subsequent death of one of the partners.

In February 2021, 28-year-old Bonang Precious Gaelae and her partner Fracinah Mohanoe went to a spaza shop owned by Mokoena to buy airtime. An altercation between the couple and Mokoena broke out, which led to him assaulting the couple.

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According to TimesLIVE, the couple left the tuckshop and went to another store to buy airtime and that is when Mokoena went into his house to fetch a knife and waited for the couple to walk by on their way back.

The National Prosecuting Authority stated that Mokoena threw a brick that ended up hitting Mohanoe and then started stabbing her and Gaelae. The couple was rushed to the local hospital by community members, however, Gaelae did not survive her injuries.

NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Mokoena was arrested the following day after he was positively identified by Mohanoe. Mokoena was denied bail and has been in prison since his arrest in 2021.

According to The South African, Mokoena was sentenced to 25 years for premeditated murder, eight years for attempted murder and five years for two counts of assault. He will serve his sentences concurrently.

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During the trial, state prosecutor Advocate Salome Scheepers stated that hate crimes in South Africa are widespread and there was no reason for Mokoena to attack the couple.

"The accused was not provoked but targeted defenceless women even after they left his premises," said Scheepers.

The judge was asked to hand over a sentence that would send the community a message about the seriousness of hate crimes.

DNA results reveal that remains found in burnt car belong to Sam Mbatha

Briefly News previously reported that it has been seven months since a body was found in a burnt Hyundai i20 that belonged to Sam Mbatha.

The South African Police Service have now confirmed that the DNA results have conclusively verified that the remains found in the boot of the car belong to Mbatha.

The police were called to a burnt car in the middle of a soccer field in Ikageng Section, Klipgat outside Pretoria on 17 June, 2021. EWN reports that initial investigations into the murder led the police to a house in Phutha Section.

Source: Briefly News