Detective Sergeant Mpho Mukununde of Katlehong FCS puts Thato Mofokeng (32) in jail for two rape cases

Media Statement
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner Gauteng
 

GAUTENG – A well-known man from the neighborhood approached the 19-year-old victim as she was leaving church in Edenpark at around 16:00 on 28 January 2023, and asked that she accompany him to his shack. When the victim resisted, the accused beat her with an iron rot until she complied. He took the victim to his shack and raped her.
The case was opened and the suspect was traced several times unsuccessfully.
On 18 February 2024, the second victim, 25-year-old, was returning from a local tavern, walking home when the same accused who was also known to the victim dragged her into his shanty and raped her.

Members of SAPS began to discover that they are essentially searching for the same suspect in those incidents during the topic of crime in the morning parade at Katlehong FCS.

Both the cases were assigned to Detective Sergeant Mpho Mukununde of Katlehong FCS, who continued with further investigations until the suspect was arrested.
The suspect was arrested on 4 May 2024. The Investigating officer Sgt. Makununde ensured that the victims breathed a sigh of relief by providing Palmridge Magistrate’s Court with all the evidence required until his conviction on 21 February 2025, and his 20 years’ prison sentence for each crime.
The conviction was applauded by Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Major General Anna Sithole, who also commended the Sergeant for her meticulous investigations that resulted in the rapist’s heavy jail sentences.

Ends

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