The Sterkspruit Regional Court has sentenced Simosakhe Polisa (33) to an effective 40 years imprisonment for the brutal murder of Zwelakhe Rasmeni (36) and the attempted murder of his estranged wife, Nandipha Thotho (37). The offences were committed on 24 March 2020, in Mokhesi, near Sterkspruit. On that day, the accused followed his estranged wife to a local tavern where she was in the company of her partner Rasmeni.
A commotion broke after Polisa confronted them. When the pair left the tavern, Polisa ambushed them along the way stabbing Thotho four times before turning on Rasmeni and inflicting more than ten stab wounds that led to his death. He then fled the scene and escaped to Lesotho, where he remained until his arrest earlier this year with the assistance of Interpol.
During the trial, Polisa pleaded not guilty and claimed he had acted in self-defence, arguing that he was a first-time offender and had children with the complaint. In response, State Prosecutor Anele Magibile contended that the attack was brutal and premeditated, and that the accused posed a danger to society. “There is no evidence that the accused supports his children or that he is their primary caregiver. While he may be a first-time offender, he deliberately entered the Republic illegally and went on to commit grave crimes,” said Magibile.
Meanwhile, medical evidence in the form of a J88 report revealed that the victims’ wounds were on the backs, providing that they had been ambushed.
Furthermore, welcoming the sentence, the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo, commended the prosecution team and investigating officers for their diligence.
