POLOKWANE – A MAN from Diphale village near Mecklenburg was sentenced by the Polokwane high court to serve three life sentences last Wednesday after he was found guilty of killing three family members in June last year.
Daniel Modipi (39) killed his grandmother Sinah Modipi (81), and his two aunts Lydia (60) and Christine Modipi (71). He accused the three women of witchcraft after his younger brother’s body was found hanging from a tree a few months earlier. Modipi shot the three woman dead.
Also last week on Thursday, the Groblersdal regional court sentenced Peterson Kgaphola (42) to an effective 24 years in jail after finding him guilty of kidnapping and raping a 22-year-old woman in Leewfontein village in Marble Hall in April.
Kgaphola saw a couple walking along the street, stabbed the man in the chest with a knife and dragged the woman to his house where he raped her several times. The woman was rescued by some residents who heard her screams. She also sustained stab wounds on both arms.
Provincial police commissioner, Lt Genl Fannie Masemola, praised the investigating officers of these cases for doing a sterling job that ensured convictions in these cases.
“What is more pleasing about these sentences is that they come just after we awarded some of our best investigators during our prestige awards. This justifies that we are not awarding mediocrity, but excellence,” he said.
He also thanked residents who came forward with information on crime and encouraged others to do the same and, in so doing, help the police in the fight against crime.
