Hefty sentence for killer who set fire to cover up murder and robbery

A VIOLENT crime that shook the village of Maruping in the Northern Cape has ended with a hefty 52-year prison sentence for 28-year-old Thabang Lesenyeho, who was convicted of multiple charges, including murder, robbery and arson.

According to provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Merapelo Pilane, the chilling events unfolded on June 18, 2023, when police in Batlharos responded to reports of a house engulfed in flames. Upon arrival, officers discovered a gruesome crime scene - inside one of the half-burned rooms lay the body of Joseph Dithupe, motionless in a pool of blood, a stab wound visible on his upper body.

As investigators combed through the wreckage, they discovered that several household items, including a sound system, a television, a cellphone and clothing, had been stolen from the home.

The breakthrough in the case came swiftly. With the help of vigilant community members, the police tracked down Lesenyeho later that same day. When they found him, he was wearing the very clothes that had belonged to the victim, and some of the stolen goods were recovered in his possession.

Justice was served this week in the Mothibistad Regional Court, where Lesenyeho was convicted on all charges, including murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, arson, and contravening immigration laws. Along with his lengthy sentence, the court ruled that he was unfit to own a firearm.

The provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, and her management team welcomed the conviction and sentencing, hailing it as a victory for justice and a warning to would-be criminals. 

She also praised the relentless efforts of Warrant Officer Eunice Ngono and Constable Mpumelelo Maruping from the Provincial Serious and Organised Crime Investigation unit, who worked tirelessly to secure the conviction, ensuring that Lesenyeho will spend the next five decades behind bars.