The Free State High Court sitting in Harrismith has sentenced three men to multiple life terms and long determinate sentences after finding them guilty of the fatal shooting of two police officers who responded to a house robbery in Phuthaditjhaba.
On 28 August, the court convicted Pakiso Lethako (34), identified as a Lesotho national, Mpho Richard Mosia (31) and Kabelo Anthony Matasane (29) for their roles in the deaths of Constables Sipho Mohapi and Gedione Motloung. The officers, both attached to Namahadi Visible Policing, were shot on 4 January 2025 while attending to a reported house robbery, Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said.
Charges and policing units praised
The trio were convicted on a range of serious offences, including murder, attempted murder, robbery of a service pistol, house robbery, theft and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and contravening the Immigration Act of 2002. The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Solly Lesia, and the Hawks’ provincial head, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, commended the investigative work that led to the convictions.
Authorities singled out the contributions of several specialist units, notably Crime Intelligence, the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the Murder and Robbery Unit, the Anti-Gang Unit and the Tactical Response Team, for their roles in the investigation and arrest operations that culminated in the trial.
What the court imposed
The sentencing package handed down by the High Court was substantial. Each of the three accused received:
- Two life sentences for murder;
- Two life sentences for attempted murder;
- 15 years for house robbery;
- 15 years for robbery of a service pistol.
Additional determinate terms were imposed on individual defendants for offences relating to prohibited firearms, ammunition and immigration contraventions.
| Accused | Additional sentences |
|---|---|
| Pakiso Lethako (34) | 12 months for illegal possession of ammunition; 15 years for possession of a prohibited firearm; 18 months for contravening the Immigration Act; 3 years for theft of a firearm. |
| Mpho Richard Mosia (31) | 6 months for illegal possession of ammunition; 15 years for possession of a prohibited firearm. |
| Kabelo Anthony Matasane (29) | No additional individual terms reported beyond the crime-related sentences listed above. |
Local impact and policing response
The double killing in January 2025 reverberated across the Motheo district and the surrounding communities of Phuthaditjhaba and Namahadi. Those two constables were on duty and responding to a call when they were attacked, prompting an intensive multi-agency probe.
Police leaders have framed the convictions and heavy sentences as an outcome of cooperative investigative work between provincial police components and the Hawks. They welcomed the court's rulings as reinforcing accountability for attacks on law enforcement officers and as a deterrent to violent crime that targets frontline responders.
What this means for residents
For residents in the affected areas, the case underscores ongoing concerns about armed house robberies and the targeting of police in the line of duty. The convictions may provide some measure of closure for colleagues and families of the deceased officers. They also highlight the role of specialised units in investigating complex violent crime.
Statements released by police named the units involved and confirmed the dates, names and sentences as recorded by the High Court. Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti provided the timeline of the fatal incident, reporting that the constables were shot while responding to the robbery on 4 January 2025.
The legal proceedings are a reminder of the heavy personal risk faced by Visible Policing units and the continuing need for community cooperation with law enforcement to prevent and respond to armed robberies.
Further updates will follow if there are appeals or additional judicial steps filed in the case.
