Police Commissioner content with Sandile Mantsoe sentence
Sandile Mantsoe sentenced to 32 years for the murder of Karabo Mokoena by the South Gauteng High Court.
The following is a media statement issued by the South African Police Service. This narrative by the National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole should be useful to readers who haven’t been following the story but wish to under what really happened between Karabo Mokoena and the sentenced Sandile Mantsoe.
The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has welcomed the conviction and an effective 32 years imprisonment imposed on 27-year-old Sandile Mantsoe for the murder of Karabo Mokoena by the South Gauteng High Court.
Mokoena’s charred body was found in an open veld by a passer-by in Lyndurst, Johannesburg on 29 April 2017. This area is a few kilometers away from Mantsoe’s parent’s residence.
Mantsoe had denied killing 22-year-old Mokoena since her disappearance and he had even offered to assist with searching for her.
On May 10, 2017, Mantsoe was arrested and initially charged with the kidnapping of Mokoena after police had uncovered some critical evidence. The case was transferred to SAPS Gauteng’s Provincial Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit for further investigation.
FCS Unit investigators managed to gather further substantial evidence which helped to successfully deny Mantsoe bail.
He was subsequently charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice, for the murder of Karabo and the burning of her corpse respectively as well as for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for a case Mokoena had reported in March 2017.
The FCS Unit, the Forensic Science Laboratory as well as the National Prosecuting Authority have worked in close collaboration which resulted in successful prosecution of Montsoe.
He was convicted and sentenced to 30 years for murder, five for assault and four for defeating the ends of justice.
Part of the sentence for the assault GBH and the defeating the ends of justice cases will run concurrently with the sentence for murder making his sentence an effective 32 years imprisonment.
“We are confident that this lengthy sentence handed down on Montsoe will serve as a deterrent to those who may have any intention to commit crimes against women and children”, said the National Commissioner of Police General Khehla John Sitole.
“Furthermore, the outcome of this case and many others is a true reflection of the effective and efficient collaboration of the police and the National Prosecuting Authority”, added General Sitole.
“All sectors of our society must rise up and take a firm stand against crimes perpetrated on the vulnerable people of our country”, urged General Sitole.
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