The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the sentencing of 22-year-old Lerato Rapeu for the murder and robbery of a 64-year-old woman.
Rapeu was sentenced in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court sitting in Middelburg on Friday, 20 February 2026.
According to the court proceedings, on 7 September 2023, police officers responded to a report of a house robbery and murder in Loding, located in the Vaalbank area. Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered the lifeless body of Ms Grace Sebothoma inside her residence. The victim had sustained multiple stab wounds.
A case of murder was registered, and an investigation by the SAPS Detectives team led to the arrest of Rapeu. The State presented a case against the accused, resulting in her conviction.
The court imposed the following sentences:
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On Count 1: Murder – Fifteen years’ imprisonment.
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On Count 2: Robbery with aggravating circumstances – Ten years’ imprisonment.
The court further declared Rapeu unfit to possess a firearm. The sentences will run concurrently.
