Latest news with #Mphatlatsa
The South African
27-05-2025
- The South African
Man gets 20 years for brutal attack on award-winning farmer
Court sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for violently targeting and seriously injuring a respected Free State farmer in a farm attack. The court ruled that the attacker had planned the assault and carried it out with extreme cruelty. The Regional Court sitting in Winnie Mandela (formerly Brandfort) sentenced Moeketsi Mphatlatsa, 35, following his conviction for his role in a 2020 farm attack on Ms Mimie Jacobs, a former Farmer of the Year and a prominent figure in her rural community. On the evening of 22 February 2020, Mphatlatsa and two accomplices broke into Jacobs' farmhouse. They kicked down her door, tied her hands and feet with wire, and stabbed her multiple times. During the ordeal, the attackers told her they knew she lived alone, showing they had deliberately planned the attack. Despite sustaining serious neurological injuries, Jacobs managed to free herself after the attackers fled. She then walked more than seven kilometres to a neighbouring farmhouse to seek help. Her determination to survive, prosecutors said, played a key role in bringing the attackers to justice. In his sentencing argument, Regional Court Prosecutor Puseletso Ali described the crime as 'merciless and orchestrated.' 'The attack was a deliberate and targeted act against a woman living alone on her farm, a place that should have been a sanctuary,' Ali said. 'Instead, she was terrorised, overpowered, and brutalised in her own home.' He stressed, 'Such crimes demand the strongest possible response from the courts.' The court convicted Mphatlatsa on three charges: housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery, kidnapping, and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He was sentenced to 15 years for housebreaking and robbery, 5 years for kidnapping, and 10 years for assault. The court ordered the assault sentence to run concurrently with the robbery sentence, making his total effective prison term 20 years. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the court's ruling. Regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the sentence sends a strong message to those who target vulnerable people, especially in rural areas. Senokoatsane stated that 'violent, organised attacks like this threaten the safety and unity of rural communities. ' He added that the sentence shows the justice system will act firmly to protect the most vulnerable. 'The NPA remains committed to securing convictions and ensuring appropriate sentences are imposed,' he said. Meanwhile, investigations continue to identify and locate Mphatlatsa's two accomplices, who remain at large. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
26-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Lengthy jail term for man who attacked Free State farmer
The regional court in Winnie Mandela (formerly Brandfort) has sentenced Moeketsi Mphatlatsa, 35, to 20 years' imprisonment 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 occurred on February 22 2020, when the accused and two accomplices broke into Ms Jacobs' home under the cover of darkness. They kicked down her door, tied her hands and feet with wire, and stabbed her multiple times, leaving her with serious neurological injuries,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said on Monday. During the attack, the assailants informed her that they knew she lived alone, suggesting a premeditated and calculated assault. 'Despite her injuries, Ms Jacobs displayed remarkable resilience. She managed to walk 7km to the nearest farmhouse to seek help.' In his sentencing argument, prosecutor Puseletso Ali described the attack as 'merciless and orchestrated', underscoring that this was no ordinary crime of violence. 'This was a deliberate, targeted act against a vulnerable woman living alone on her farm, a space that should be a haven. Instead, she was terrorised, overpowered and stripped of her dignity and security. Such crimes demand the strongest possible response from the justice system,' Ali said. The court sentenced Mphatlatsa to 15 years for housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery, five years for kidnapping and 10 years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The court ordered that the sentence for assault run concurrently with the sentence for housebreaking and robbery, meaning Mphatlatsa will serve an effective 20 years' direct imprisonment. Senokoatsane said.
