The regional court in Winnie Mandela (formerly Brandfort) sentenced Moeketsi Mphatlatsa, 35, to 20 years in prison after a targeted and violent attack on a female farmer, Mimie Jacobs, a respected community figure and former recipient of the Farmer of the Year Award.
“The attack took place on February 22, 2020, when the accused and two accomplices broke into Mrs. Jacobs’ house under the cover of the darkness. They kicked her door down, tied her hands and feet with thread, and left her several times and left her with serious neurological injury,” National persecution problems Mojalepa Senokaatsane said on Monday.
During the attack, the attackers informed her that they knew that she was alive alone, which suggests a premeditation and calculated attack.
“Despite her injuries, Mrs. Jacobs showed remarkable resilience. She managed to walk 7 km to the nearest farm to seek help.”
In his conviction argument, the Pusetso Ali’s public prosecutor described the attack as “merciless and orchestrated”, which underlines that this was no ordinary crime of violence.
“This was a deliberate, targeted act against a vulnerable woman who only lived on her farm, a space that should be a refuge. Instead, she was terrorized, overwhelmed and stripped of her dignity and security. Such crimes require the strongest possible reaction of the legal system,” said Ali.
The court condemned Mphatlatsa up to 15 years for house breaches with the intention of robbing and theft, five years for kidnapping and 10 years for mistreatment with the intention of causing serious physical injury.
The court ordered that the punishment for Assault was simultaneously with the punishment for house breaches and theft, which means that Mphatlatsa will serve an effective direct prison sentence of 20 years.
“This kind of violent, organized attacks undermine safety, dignity and social cohesion, in particular in isolated national institutions,” Said Senokatsane.
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