MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDERING HIS MINOR CHILD

29 APRIL 2025

MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDERING HIS MINOR CHILD

The Regional Court of North West sitting at the Atamelang Regional Court has sentenced Jacob Molebo (31) to life imprisonment for the murder of his three-month-old baby. The court further declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm.

The tragic event occurred on 22 October 2020 at Setlagole village, North West. Investigations revealed that Molebo was in a romantic relationship with the mother of the deceased. On the day of the incident, Molebo took the deceased from the mother and without any provocation, he threw and hit the deceased against the wall of the neighbor’s house. The child sustained severe injuries from being thrown against a concrete wall with force.

The court heard harrowing details about the crime, which illustrated the vulnerability of the victim. Molebo then left the mother there without assisting her. The mother then requested help from the neighbours, and as a result the child was transported to the nearby clinic, where he was declared dead upon arrival. The police were subsequently called, and Molebo was arrested three days after the incident as the police could not trace him and have been in custody since.

In court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor, Advocate Edward Manicus argued against such deviations that were presented by the defense, referring to applicable statutes and case laws. He argued for life imprisonment to be imposed, and submitted that there were no compelling and substantial circumstances adduced by the defense, for the court to deviate from the applicable minimum sentence. The Magistrate, Stephan Du Toit in his judgment emphasised the court’s duty to protect vulnerable members of society and alarming prevalence of murder offences against women and children in the area. He agreed with the state and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment.

Welcoming the sentence, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari commended the investigative and prosecution teams for their dedication. “We stand united in our resolve to ensure justice is served. Violent crimes will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will face the full might of the law,” she said.

Issued by:

Sivenathi Gunya
Communications Officer -North West Division
National Prosecuting Authority
078 172 9367