Kabelo Gift Rasepae, 37, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday, June 21 for murdering his girlfriend Olive Gobonwana Motsomi two years ago on January 23, 2020.
Acting Judge Balo stated that Rasepae brutally killed Motsomi in the sanctity of her home and failed to present substantial and compelling circumstances to warrant a deviation from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
Motsomi had been in a ten-year relationship with Rasepae when she was stabbed several times on the fateful day. Rasepae thereafter took her to Life Robinson Hospital in Randfontein where he told staff that they were victims of a robbery at her house in Wildtuin Park Estate, Krugersdorp.
He left Motsomi under the care of the hospital, alleging that he was rushing back home to attend to their children. Later that day Motsomi succumbed to her stab wounds.
Rasepae was arrested by members of the Mogwase Police Station the same day whilst in possession of Motsomi’s vehicle after he had fled to the North West province. The case was then assigned to detective Warrant Officer Conrad Robertson who worked tirelessly on the case.
In aggravation of sentence, Senior State Advocate Patric Mkhari submitted a victim impact statement, authored by the probation officer that detailed how Motsomi’s mother has been left traumatised and is now dependent on anti-depressants. He also argued that society relies on the court system to root out the pandemic of gender-based violence, by removing perpetrators from society. He added that Motsomi was a legal practitioner who believed in the criminal justice system and that justice should prevail.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gauteng Local Division, Advocate Andrew Chauke, welcomed the sentence in this gender-based violence case.
