Mafedile Mphethe (25) was sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment without appeal by the Virginia High Court for drowning her 2-year-old baby.
Mphethe had thrown her 2-year-old son in the river on Saturday, 29 January 2022.
The court was told of how the young mother was seen walking with her baby boy, heading towards the Sand River near Tikwe. A passerby became suspicious as she was seen near the river several times.
Later that day she was seen walking alone without a baby. Another passerby who saw her with a baby earlier, also became suspicious and called the Virginia police.
The woman was arrested and initially charged for illegal immigration as she is a foreigner.
The police’s diving unit came to the scene to trace the baby, but all was in vain. On Wednesday, 2 February 2022, the body of a baby was seen floating in the river and the police were called to the scene.
The baby’s decayed body was positively identified by a relative, and a case of murder was added to the accused’s initial charge.
This case was assigned to Det. Sgt Madikotsi Mamaseli of the Virginia Detective Services, who ensured the investigation was conducted, resulting in this conviction.
