THABO Raymond Maake (39) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the gruesome murder of his girlfriend.
Maake, also known as Patane and former leader of Thupa Fela Group Yama Golf1 in Katlehong kasi in Ekurhuleni, was in a relationship with Thokozile Kubheka.
On 10 July 2020, the convicted murderer severely assaulted Thokozile in the presence of his male friend, who later informed her family about the assault.
The family members tried calling her to no avail, which prompted them to start looking for her. They found Maake hanging around with his friends at a car wash.
He couldn’t tell them where Thokozile was.
He gave them the keys to the house he was renting with her and fled to his parents’ home.
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Upon entering the house, the family members found the Thokozile’s lifeless body lying on the floor with a rope tied around her neck. The accused was arrested by the police at his parents’ home where he was found hiding under a bed.
The South Gauteng High Court in Joburg heard that two months before Thokozile’s death, Maake went to her parents’ home in possession of a canister containing petrol and set clothing and several items belonging to Thokozile and her siblings alight. He threatened to kill her in front of her mother and her daughter.
Maake was further sentenced to three years for malicious injury to property, 12 months for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The sentences will run concurrently with the one imposed for murder.
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In imposing the sentence, Judge Ishmail said that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence.
“The offence is that of typical femicide. Not a day passes without hearing that a woman is killed in our country,” he said.
Prosecutor Patrick Mkhari had told the court that the gruesome acts of violence against women cannot go unpunished. He also handed a victim impact statement of Thokozile’s daughter, where she said that she was heartbroken as she lost her mother, who was her caregiver.
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane commended investigating officer Warrant Officer Abram Mphele of the Vosloorus police and Mkhari for their efforts that led to a successful prosecution.
