Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa
04 November 2024
Witness Monareng (28) from Bushbuckridge was sentenced by the High Court of South Africa, Mpumalanga Division, to 77 years in prison for the brutal killing of a couple in February this year.
Monareng pleaded guilty to the charges related to the incident that occurred near Violet Bank Trust and Zoekenog Trust in Bushbuckridge. He was convicted of housebreaking with intent to commit a crime, two counts of murder, and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
On 05 February 2024, Monareng and unidentified accomplices forcefully entered the home of Alber Mashego in Violet Bank Trust, demanding money, cellphones, and a bank card. When Mashego informed them that his bank card was with his girlfriend, Victoria Mmathapelo Lebjane, in Zoekenog Trust, Monareng forced him to call her to arrange its retrieval.
Upon arrival at Lebjane’s residence, Monareng ordered Mashego to knock on the door. When Lebjane opened, expecting her partner, Monareng shot through the door, fatally wounding the couple (Mashego and Lebjane) before retrieving the bank card from her pocket and fleeing the scene.
Monareng was later apprehended after police matched his fingerprints to evidence found at the crime scene.
In court, State Advocate Senzo Zindela argued that Monareng’s guilty plea was not an act of remorse but a reaction to the overwhelming evidence against him. Zindela emphasized the gravity of the crimes and the devastating impact on the victims’ families.
Delivering the sentence, Judge Sheila Msibi highlighted the severe nature of the offences, noting that Monareng had violated the victim’s constitutional right to life.
The court sentenced him to 8 years for housebreaking with intent to commit a crime, 15 years for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for the murder of one victim, and 24 years for the murder of the other. Additionally, the court declared Monareng unfit to possess a firearm.
This sentence underscores the National Prosecuting Authority’s dedication to prosecuting serious violent crimes and reinforces the justice system’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable.
