HUSBAND SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER OF WIFE
15 SEPTEMBER 2025
HUSBAND SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER OF WIFE
Benoni, Gauteng – The Benoni Magistrates’ Court has sentenced Mpho Motsoso (42) to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his wife, Precious Mapuleng Mochadibane (39). The couple had been separated after Mochadibane told Motsoso she needed peace. On 29 January 2023, Motsoso went to the house they had shared, where the deceased was with her mother and their two children, aged 16 and 7. He attempted to start a fight, but the mother intervened and told him to sleep in an outside room.
The following morning, he entered the house saying wanting to bathe, after he fetched a knife from the kitchen, and stabbed the wife in her bedroom while she was sitting on the bed reading a Bible. The attack occurred in front of their children. He then took her car keys and bank cards, drove away, and later withdrew money. He proceeded to a sangoma in Klipriver for “spiritual cleansing,” where police arrested him after tracing the vehicle via its tracker. Since his arrest, Motsoso remained in custody after the NPA successfully opposed bail. In court, he pleaded not guilty and chose to remain silent. However, Prosecutor Girly Mahlangu led compelling witness testimony that secured a conviction.
During sentencing, Motsoso asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, citing his status as a first-time offender with no history of violence. Prosecutor Mahlangu opposed the request, stressing that he showed no remorse and committed a heinous act against his wife, whom he was meant to love and protect, in full view of their children. She also submitted a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Nelia Radebe, in which the deceased’s mother and children detailed the psychological trauma they suffered. The statement revealed that the eldest child failed Grade 12 that year due to the impact of the murder. Magistrate Lesufi agreed with the State that Motsoso had shown no remorse and found no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence, imposing life imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, reaffirming its commitment to prioritising the prosecution of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and femicide cases, and sending a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
Issued by:
Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division: Pretoria
073 002 0000