Mohapi murder trial: Young woman's murderers to be sentenced this Friday

Update

GEORGE NEWS - Sentencing proceedings in the Hlompho Mohapi (Koloi) murder case will be finalised in the George Circuit High Court on Friday 19 November.

This comes after various victim impact reports pertaining to the deceased's family, the three potential victims from the Eastern Cape, as well as the minor children of the defendants and the deceased, have been presented to court.

Sentencing proceedings started on Monday 15 November after all three accused, Melisiswe Monqo (33), his wife and co-accused, Siphoshile Pamba (26), and Phumlani Quesheka (31), were found guilty in September this year of the premeditated murder of the 25-year-old Mohapi.

The murder in brief

Mohapi's butchered body was found by a passing fisherman on the road leading to Voëlklip near Herold's Bay on 5 July 2018. She had seven stab wounds to her chest and her throat was slit. Her mother was attending a funeral in Lesotho at the time.

READ MORE: Sentencing on Friday

Fraudulent life and funeral policies to the value of R3-million were taken out on Mohapi's life shortly before she was murdered. The trio had allegedly also attempted to kill three other women using a similar modus operandi in the Eastern Cape between 2017 and 2018.

Mohapi had been lured to a fake job interview, after which she was taken to Herold's Bay where she was viciously murdered and her body left to be found.

Accused address court

Reports on behalf of Monqo, Pamba and Quesheka were compiled and handed in to court by local social workers who testified on Monday morning.

Following these testimonies and cross-examination by the state, Monqo took to the stand to address the court.

During this testimony the court heard that he still believes in his own innocence. He said neither himself, nor Pamba or Quesheka, were physically involved in Mohapi's murder. He said he is hurt and embarrassed by the situation and has great sympathy with Mohapi's family and what had happened to them.

A very emotional and seemingly remorseful Pamba also addressed the court, pleading with Mohapi's family, her friends, the church, court and community for forgiveness.

"What I am about to say comes from the heart. Not for the court to have mercy on me or release me. I am saying this because it is the right thing to do. I won't make excuses to define (sic) my actions. I was involved in lies and deception that resulted in the death of a young woman... It is my fault. If I did not take the policies, your daughter, sister, mother, friend and neighbour would still be here. She did not even know me. I left her two daughters without a mother," she said.

"You might not find it in your hearts to forgive me, but maybe one day you will."

Quesheka did not address the court.

Mitigating circumstances

Monqo's legal representative, Adv Johan Visser (SC), said that Monqo endured extreme financial hardship when "things turned south in his congregation." He said the accused gained nothing from the offences, but suffers alienation, rejection and humiliation, and asked that he would not be given a life sentence.

Att Louise Luterek, who represented Pamba and Quesheka, said that Pamba is the mother of a four-year-old child who is currently being raised by Pamba's mother. During the three years she has been in prison she has been involved in various cultural and religious activities and she has no previous convictions.

She showed remorse and acknowledged the things she did as wrong. She has changed and can be rehabilitated to become a better person. She also had no financial gain as a result of the offences.

Speaking for Quesheka, Luterek said that he had failed matric and grew up in harsh circumstances in a rural area in King Williams Town. He has a nine-year-old child who was rejected by the mother and is being brought up by Quesheka's sister on social grants. She said he also did not benefit financially from the offences.

State asks for life sentences

In her final submission to court, state prosecutor Adv Evadne Kortjé said that nothing less than life sentences should be handed down. "When dealing with certain crimes, it is not business as usual. Crime is still on the rise despite the minimum sentence act. Their offences reached a climax in George when Hlompho's life was taken. She was slaughtered for R3-million and none of them has shown remorse for their actions," she said.

The case serves in front of Judge Taswell Papier.

The three accused, Phumlani Quesheka (left), Siphoshile Pamba and Melisiswe Monqo, will hear their fate on Friday 19 November. Photo: Kristy Kolberg