A relentless investigation and prosecution effort secured a life sentence for a Northern Cape man convicted of the brutal murder of his partner after an argument escalated on a farm outside Victoria West.
THE DILIGENT collaboration between Detective Sergeant Mojalefa Ignatius Mokitimi and State prosecutor advocate Anel Stellenberg from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) led to a life sentence for 43-year-old Xolani Gerald Pherndro Bilatyi, handed down by the Victoria West Regional Court on October 25.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane said that Bilatyi initially contacted the Victoria West police on Saturday, September 9, 2023, to report the murder, leading officers to a farm outside the town.
During the investigation, the police found evidence of tampering at the crime scene, including a wet floor and a brick and broken mop that had been hidden. Bilatyi was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of his 46-year-old partner, Dina Nosipho Matyobeni.
Further investigations revealed that Bilatyi and the victim had visited a shebeen in Victoria West on Friday, September 8, 2023. An argument broke out when they returned to their residence on the farm, escalating into the tragic incident.
The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, commended Detective Sergeant Mokitimi for his dedication, which was instrumental in securing the sentence and ensuring justice was served for the heinous crime.