MATHAPISA
The Polokwane High Court has sentenced a 30-year-old man, Thabang Madiseng, to 17 years direct imprisonment after finding him guilty of the murder of his 66-year-old uncle, Lucas Madiseng, from Mathapisa Village under the Nebo policing area.
The accused was convicted of murder on Thursday, 17 September 2026, following a lengthy investigation and prosecution process.
On Tuesday, 22 September 2026, the court sentenced him to 17 years imprisonment and further declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
The incident occurred on 02 February 2022 at approximately 20:00, when the deceased was severely assaulted at his homestead in Mathapisa Village.
Emergency services transported him to nearest hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Although the deceased remained conscious for some time after the assault, he was unable to speak due to the severity of his injuries and could not provide a statement to police regarding the circumstances surrounding the attack.
At the time, the matter was initially registered at Nebo SAPS as an attempted murder case.
The accused told the police that he knew nothing about the incident as he was not home when the deceased was assaulted.
The deceased remained hospitalised until 17 March 2022, when he succumbed to his injuries. Following his death, the case was subsequently reclassified as murder.
The investigation was assigned to Detective Sergeant Lebogang Raymond Mabitsela. Through meticulous investigation, the investigator established that the deceased had been assaulted by his nephew, who was residing with him at the same residence.
Police investigations revealed that a dispute between the deceased and the accused over food had escalated, resulting in the accused assaulting the deceased.
Through the gathering of compelling evidence, Detective Sergeant Mabitsela successfully linked the accused to the crime and secured a warrant for his arrest.
The suspect was subsequently arrested on 23 December 2024 and appeared several times before the Nebo Magistrate’s Court before the matter was transferred to the Polokwane High Court for trial.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers, commended Detective Sergeant Mabitsela for his dedication and perseverance in ensuring justice for the victim and his family.
“The successful conviction and sentencing demonstrate the importance of thorough investigations and the determination of our members, and the prosecution to ensure that perpetrators of serious crimes are brought to justice, regardless of the time it takes,” said Lieutenant General Scheepers.
The Provincial Commissioner has welcomed the sentence, which brings closure to a case that stemmed from a senseless act of violence within a family setting.