South African Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Killing His Mother

Teboho Abram Mokoena, 31, was sentenced to life in prison by the High Court of South Africa: Free State Division for killing and dismembering his mother, Modiehi Anna Khodumo (65).

In a statement issued on Monday, October 23, 2023, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson for the Free State Division, Phaladi Shuping, said Judge Joseph Mhlambi also sentenced Mokoena to five years in prison for stabbing his father, Motsumi Joseph Mokoena, several times with a knife when he tried to reprimand him.

Mokoena was further handed 12 months imprisonment for malicious damage to property.

Motsumi Mokoena went to the deceased’s residence looking for her on June 7, 2022, and discovered the accused in the garage packaging his mother’s remains in a plastic bag. When he attempted to inquire as to what was going on, the accused stabbed him numerous times.

When the police were called to the house, they discovered a grinder as well as human remains that had been sliced into bits in the garage. The dead was presumed to have died between June 5 and 7, 2022.

Because of his claimed drug usage and desire for money from his mother, the accused had a turbulent relationship with his parents.

In addition, the State Prosecutor, Advocate Nono Mkhabela, provided the court with three victim impact statements (VIS). The VIS came from the deceased’s daughter, brother, and ex-husband.

Because of the incident, the daughter indicated that she was unable to perform at university and had to retake a semester, and the ex-husband stated that his son took away the most pure soul who was not only a pillar of strength to the family but to the community.

Mkhabela told the court that the accused was convicted of three significant offenses that are frequent not only in the province, but throughout the country, with the common denominator being that they all include violence.

She also argued that the accused showed no remorse for his actions and was clearly motivated by selfishness, a sense of entitlement, and greed, and that the court should not deviate from the minimum sentence prescribed by the law because it would send a message to would-be killers that the courts would deal harshly with them if they committed such crimes.