- A North West traditional healer has been given a life sentence for killing his girlfriend.
- Thapelo Ramoruki poured petrol over her, set her alight and stabbed her multiple times.
- The murder occurred during a ritual which was meant for his minor child.
A North West traditional healer has been given a life sentence for murdering his girlfriend.
Thapelo Ramoruki poured petrol over his girlfriend, set her alight, and repeatedly stabbed her in the abdomen in 2021.
The 29-year-old appeared in the Mogwase Regional Court on Wednesday, where he was sentenced for Tsholofelo Tsheko's murder.
He was further handed six years for pointing a gun and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
On 12 January 2021, Ramoruki, Tsheko, their one-month-old baby and Tsheko’s younger brother drove to a cemetery in Sandfontein, North West.
The three went to the cemetery to perform a ritual for Ramoruki's child, said National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
"Ramoruki took with him petrol, a pellet gun, a knife and traditional beer for that purpose.
"They then performed the ritual and subsequently moved to a nearby dam to cleanse themselves before going home," said Mamothame.
At the dam, Ramorukihad pointed a gun at himself, then later pointed it at Tsheko and ordered her to hand over the baby to her younger brother.
Ramoruki instructed them to wait in the car and then proceeded to pour the petrol over Tsheko and set her alight, said Mamothame.
"He went on to stab Tsheko in the abdomen several times, while she was burning," he said.
According to Mamothame, when Tsheko’s younger brother witnessed the attack and heard his sister screaming for help, he took off in the car to seek help.
Police were alerted and Ramoruki was arrested on the scene.
Tsheko was rushed to Moses Kotane Hospital for medical attention, but she died on 13 January 2021.
According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was multiple injuries, caused by stab and burn wounds.
In aggravation of sentence, Mamothame said advocate Sello Maema had pleaded with the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, as there were no compelling and substantial circumstances to justify that.
"Judge Tebogo Djadje shared the same sentiment and indicated that there is a huge outcry on gender-based violence and femicide and courts should restore faith in communities on such serious offences," Mamothame said.