‘He can finally rest in peace,’ says ANC after Mapiti Matsena’s killer gets 30 years in jail

The Pretoria High Court sentenced 29-year-old Monoko Francis Thoko for the murder of the Gauteng Member of Provincial Legislature and chairperson of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee, Mapiti Matsena, to 30 years in prison.

He was also found guilty of house breaking with intent to kill.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Matsena was at his Doornpoort home in Holy Hock Road when Thoko broke into his bedroom door. When he gained entry, he found Matsena’s wife in the room while Matsena was on the other part of the house. When the wife saw Thoko, she started screaming, Thoko told her to be quiet and covered her with a blanket.

Upon Matsena returning back to the room, he found Thoko and they started fighting. Thoko stabbed him multiple times and he died on the spot.

Thoko pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and house breaking with intent to murder, said the NPA in a statement on Thursday.

On the count of murder, he was sentenced to 25 years and 12 years, with 7 suspended on the second count of house breaking. He will effectively serve 30 years in prison since both will not run concurrently.

“The State Advocate, Mari Marriot, argued that the commission of the offences was planned in that he waited until 21h00 in the evening to enter into the premises of the deceased. It can be further not be argued that his guilty plea does not constitute remorse as the state had a very strong case against him.

The African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng has welcomed the ruling.

It said it would continue to offer support to his family.

“Comrade Mapiti Matsena died violently in the hands of someone he had trusted with his life, worse being from the same area in Limpopo. ANC Gauteng believes that justice has been served and that comrade Mapiti Matsena can finally rest in peace,” the party said in a statement following the ruling.

“Francis Monono Thoka is the man who took comrade Mapiti Matsena’s life a day before his birthday at his own home where he was supposed to be most safe.”

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde