LIMPOPO: Justice for family of femicide victim
Phillip Munzhelele (45) stabbed Portia Ramakavhi to death after he accused her of infidelity.
LIMPOPO – Phillip Munzhelele of Tshino in Vuwani, who was arrested in December 2019 for brutally murdering his 31-year-old girlfriend, Portia Ramakavhi of Ha-Mutsha, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the Sibasa Regional Court on September 28.
At the time of the murder, Munzhelele had accused Ramakavhi of infidelity and an argument ensued at their home, during which she was stabbed.
Ramakavhi died on the scene. Moments later, an angry mob arrived and started chasing down Munzhelele. When he was caught, they assaulted him.
The police were called and Munzhelele was arrested and charged with murder. Ramakavhi who had two young daughters, aged 10 and six, had obtained two protection orders against Munzhelele prior to the incident.
He is the father of the younger girl. In January 2020, Munzhelele was released on R10 000 bail, to the dismay of Ramakavhi’s family.
More recently, however, a verdict was reached and Munzhelele was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years behind bars. The police hailed the sentence as a deterrent that crime does not pay.
“We are extremely happy with the outcome of this case. We feel that justice has been served and the right message was sent out to the community,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo after the verdict.
