Relebohile Makhetha
Nyola Posholi was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday this week for the murder of Berente Ramonyatsi on November 1, 2019.
The tragic events that led to Ramonyatsi’s death have now culminated in a conviction under the watchful eye of Judge Tšeliso Mokoko.
The case, which has gripped the local community in ketane, Mohale’s Hoek, unfolded on a fateful night when Posholi and Ramonyatsi became embroiled in a confrontation while walking from a traditional initiation ceremony.
After a heated exchange about a torn bag and a disrespectful remark, Ramonyatsi struck Posholi with a stick. In a fit of anger, Posholi retaliated by drawing a knife, fatally stabbing Ramonyatsi twice, once in the shoulder and again in the chest.
Posholi fled the scene after the attack but was soon apprehended by the community, who had been alerted to the incident.
Despite his claims that the stabbing was an act of self-defence, the evidence presented in court suggested otherwise.
The testimony from witnesses, including Tsietsi Mosebetsi, painted a different picture: Posholi, enraged by the earlier physical confrontation, pursued the attack with clear intent, even as Ramonyatsi, gravely injured, attempted to hold himself up with Mosebetsi’s help.
Testimony of Tsietsi Mosebetsi
“The incident occurred on November 2, 2019, around 2 a.m. I, along with Moeti Rangojane, Retšelisitsoe Khesa, Berente Ramonyatsi, and Nyola Posholi, were in the village of Ha Matekane. The previous evening, November 1, 2019, the four young men, including myself, had gathered at Mr. Ntsane Lebona’s residence (moo bashemane baneng ba kena). Nyola and I was walking infront and was drunk by local brew, mothamahane. As we were walking, we overheard Mr. Berente saying, ‘Wait here, gentlemen.’ He was carrying two two-litre bottles of alcohol.
“When he approached, Mr. Berente asked Mr. Nyola for his bag to put his bottles inside. Nyola handed it over, and Mr. Berente noticed the bag was torn and would not open properly. He then remarked, ‘Nyola, how does this bag of yours even open?’ He handed it back, telling him to open it himself. Mr. Berente eventually opened the bag, and as he was about to put in a bottle, Nyola objected, questioning ‘hee monna’ how are you handling his bag.
“Mr. Berente then asked, ‘Nyola, who are you calling me monna?” to which Nyola responded, ‘I am talking to you, monna.’ Mr. Berente warned him, saying: ‘Do not disrespect me, you little troublemaker. People say you kill others, and you think you can intimidate me?’
“Sensing the tension, I intervened, moving Nyola aside to avoid an escalation. However, Mr. Berente then approached and struck Nyola on the head with a stick. Nyola, furious, pulled free from my grip, drew a knife, and returned to stab Mr. Berente in the shoulder. I was caught between them and only noticed the gravity of the situation when I saw Mr. Berente holding his injured shoulder in pain. At this point, Nyola came closer and stabbed him again, this time in the chest. It was then I realised that Nyola was armed with a knife.
“I asked Nyola why he had stabbed Mr. Berente. He responded defiantly, saying; ‘I will stab him again. Who does he think he is?’ Mr. Berente, gravely injured, leaned against me to prevent himself from falling. Nyola then left the scene, and I requested that Moeti, who was with us, follow Nyola to ensure he did not hide.
“Mr. Retšelisitsoe sounded the alarm, and other villagers arrived, asking where Nyola had gone. They accompanied Moeti to pursue and apprehend Nyola. They returned with him to Ha Matekane and brought him before the Chief. The Chief ordered that Nyola be restrained. When Nyola was brought back, he had a wound on his forehead, likely from when he fell while being pursued by Moeti. The Chief, seeing the anger among the villagers, instructed them not to harm Nyola and called the police, stating that a man had been killed by a stabbing.
“The deceased was then taken on horseback to Ha Rantoetsi. It was around 10 p.m. when the police arrived at the scene.”
In his defence, Posholi admitted to the stabbing but argued that it was in self-defence following an unprovoked attack.
However, Judge Mokoko, in delivering the sentence, concluded that Posholi’s actions were disproportionate to the threat posed by Ramonyatsi, who had already been restrained by Mosebetsi during the altercation. The court found that Posholi’s actions were deliberate and calculated, evidenced by his multiple stabbings of the deceased.
Despite the nature of the crime, the court considered several mitigating factors when handing down the sentence. Posholi, a first-time offender, showed genuine remorse and had cooperated fully with the legal process over the past five years.
Additionally, the community’s retaliation against Posholi – who was beaten in the aftermath of the incident – was taken into account as a form of punishment in itself.
Judge Mokoko emphasised the growing concern over rising murder cases and expressed hope that this sentence would serve as a deterrent to others, reinforcing that acts of violence must be met with consequences.
The court also acknowledged the need for second chances for individuals who are not habitual criminals, yet reminded the public that respect for life must be upheld at all costs.
