The Kimberley Regional Court has handed down a life sentence to 31-year-old Chris Letratu for the brutal murder of his 54-year-old mother, a crime that has brought a sense of justice to the shaken Platfontein community. The sentence, delivered on Thursday, 12 September 2025, has been formally welcomed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Management in the Northern Cape.
The court heard that the horrific incident occurred on the evening of Thursday, 01 August 2024, at approximately 21:00 at the family’s home. According to evidence presented, the accused first set the house’s curtains alight and broke the windows. He then proceeded to wake his mother, who was asleep, before attacking and beating her to death with a pick axe.
Letratu was subsequently arrested by SAPS and has remained in custody since his arrest, awaiting trial. He was denied bail and remained in jail until his final sentencing this week.
