Thoriso Kgomo’s murderer sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment

A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for killing 18-year-old Thoriso Kgomo at the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo. Dimakatso Mochemi was found guilty stabbing and killing Kgomo last year in January at Seshego Zone Three outside Polokwane.

Mochemi was acquitted on the counts of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old girl.

Spokesperson for the NPA in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, says the court considered that Mochemi was a first time offender.

“Dimakatso Mochemi was convicted and sentenced 17 years direct imprisonment by the Limpopo Polokwane High Court today Demakatso was acquitted on count of rape and kidnapping. The court sentenced him count of murder, as he was 17 year old during the time of the offense.”

Thoriso Kgomo’s father, Lawrence, has expressed disappointment at the sentence.

“I’m very very disappointed in Judge Mueller. If you were taking into consideration that my son won’t come back and this one, sooner, will be coming back, that is very, very bad. He is 20. If we add 17 to 20 he is 37. So, he would still be young. So, I can tell you, he is going to continue with the same acts.”

Mochemi stabbed Kgomo on January 2 last year at a New Year’s party in Seshego.

Kgomo was taken to hospital where he died a few days latter from his injuries.

During the trial, Mochemi told the Polokwane High Court that he stabbed Kgomo in self defence. He also denied raping the 14-year-old girl, and claimed that they had had consensual sex. He was acquitted of rape for lack of evidence.