Relebohile Makhetha
Matseliso Tšoeliane, 46, has been convicted of culpable homicide following the death of Toka Mosotho on December 27, 2021, at Sefikeng, Ha Moeketsi, in Berea.
Court records indicate the tragic incident occurred at a liquor establishment around noon when an altercation escalated, leading to Tšoeliane fatally stabbing Mosotho with a knife.
On December 3, 2023, Tšoeliane pleaded guilty to the charge.
During mitigation, her lawyer, Advocate Masoabi, appealed for leniency, emphasising her status as a first-time offender and her expression of remorse. He highlighted her efforts to assist with Mosotho’s burial, including providing groceries and covering the cost of the coffin.
Advocate Masoabi proposed a suspended sentence, allowing Tšoeliane to pay M15,000 over two years as compensation to the deceased’s family.
In sentencing, Judge Tšeliso Mokoko balanced the severity of the crime with the community’s interests and noted the influence of alcohol in the incident. While acknowledging Tšoeliane’s remorse and her financial contributions, he stressed that no amount of money could replace the sanctity of life, which he described as a divine gift.
Tšoeliane was sentenced to seven years in prison, suspended for three years on the condition that she pays a fine of M30,000 within the same period.
The fine is to be paid in monthly installments of M830, due on the last day of each month at Chief Libe Masupha’s office. Failure to meet this obligation will result in her imprisonment.
