Life behind bars for North West men who tortured 'intruder' to death - IOL

Two men, 39-year-old Pholoso Lekana and 42-year-old Tshepo Ramatiti, have received life sentences for the murder and kidnapping of 25-year-old Orapeleng Sebogodi.

Three men who kidnapped and brutally murdered a man they believed was an intruder were convicted of their horrific crimes, almost three years after the incident.

Two of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lehurutshe Regional Court in the North West province on Friday, November 13, and the third accused is awaiting trial after the court found out he has a psychiatric disorder. 

Pholoso Lekana,39, and 42-year-old Tshepo Ramatiti were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and a further five years for kidnapping, with both sentences to run concurrently. 

On November 25, 2023, Lekan was at home when he heard noises outside. He suspected an intruder was on his property and went to investigate. 

He found the victim, 25-year-old Orapeleng Sebogodi, who was known to him, in his yard. Lekana then called 37-year-old Oageng Mereyohle to help him capture the victim. 

The victim managed to flee from Lekana’s property after allegedly spraying the accused with pepper spray. Lekana and Mereyohle then went to a nearby tavern to fetch Ramatiti and Lekana’s girlfriend to help find the deceased. 

The accused later found the victim alongside a road, where they grabbed and assaulted him before forcing him into Lekana’s car boot. They drove the victim to Lekana’s home and tied him to a tree before continuing to assault him. 

They reportedly used knives, a car jack and a panga to inflict multiple wounds on the deceased. Onlookers alerted the victim’s family about the assault. 

When the family arrived, they found him covered in blood, severely weakened and unable to walk. They rushed him for medical attention, but he succumbed to his injuries. 

The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested all three men. Lekana and Ramatiti pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Mereyohle admitted to participating in the assault. 

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lindiwe Mabasa, the State called witnesses and presented evidence proving the charges and that the accused committed the crimes with intent. 

The court agreed with the prosecution and found that the accused had taken the law into their own hands without justification because there was no evidence that the deceased had stolen anything from Lekana’s property. 

“Furthermore, no stolen property or other items suggesting he had committed theft were found in his possession,” said Mabasa. 

The State applied for a separation of trial, for sentencing purposes, for Mereyohle after finding out that the accused had a mental disorder. The sentencing trial was subsequently separated to allow the court to address the issues related to his mental condition. 

He will be sentenced at a later date.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, said the sentence sent a strong message to communities that violence and murder were intolerable. 

The NPA further emphasised that the right to life is a fundamental right and should be protected and respected by everyone. 

Makhari also commended the investigating officer, Sergeant Motsatsi Modibestsane and state prosecutor Neo Sedumedo for a successful prosecution.