Free State man sentenced to 25 years for brutally murdering mother and attempting to kill grandmother

A Free State man was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for murdering his mother and attempting to kill his grandmother.  

The Viljoenskroon Regional Court sentenced 23-year-old Thabiso Motaung to an effective 25-year direct imprisonment after he was convicted on two counts after pleading guilty to both charges.

The State was represented by Tumelo Sebogodi, a District Court Prosecutor who is currently undergoing training at the Regional Court.

The first incident occurred in February 2021, when Motaung was only 17 years old.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) detailed the incident in a statement released on Friday.

“Following an argument with his mother, he armed himself with a knife and stabbed her once in the heart. She succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Motaung pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. As he was a minor at the time of the offence, the prescribed minimum sentencing provisions did not apply,” said the NPA.

Two years later, Motaung attempted to kill his grandmother. 

“The second incident occurred in February 2023, when Motaung was 20 years old. During an argument with his grandmother, he again armed himself with a knife and stabbed her in the neck. She sustained a life-threatening injury and was rushed to hospital, where she survived,” the prosecuting authority added.

The court ordered that the 10-year sentence imposed for the murder of his mother run concurrently with the 25-year sentence imposed for attempted murder, which means Motaung will serve an effective sentence of 25 years’ direct imprisonment. 

The NPA welcomed the sentence and commended the prosecution for ensuring that Motaung was held accountable for the serious and violent offences committed against members of his own family.

IOL