Man found guilty and sentenced for Gauteng MPL murder

Monoko Francis Thoko, 29, has been sentenced in the Pretoria High Court for the murder of Gauteng Member of the Provincial Legislature and chairperson of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee, Mapiti Matsena.

The court handed Thoko a sentence of 30 years imprisonment for the murder. He was also found guilty of house breaking with intent to kill.  He committed the crimes on 15 July 2020 at night in his murder victim’s home where he was living with his wife.

Thoko had pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and house breaking with intent to murder.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, said that Matsena had been at his Doornpoort home in Holy Hock Road when the murder occurred. Mahanjana said that Thoko had broken into the house through his bedroom door. 

“When he gained entry, he found Matsena’s wife in the room while Matsena was on the other part of the house. When the wife saw Thoko she started screaming, Thoko told her to be quiet and covered her with a blanket,” Mahanjana said.

“Upon Matsena returning back to the room, he found Thoko and they started fighting.  Thoko stabbed him multiple times and he died on the spot,” Mahanjana said.

State Advocate, Mari Marriot argued that the commission of the murder and house breaking had been planned in that Thoko had waited until 9pm in the evening to enter the premises of the deceased.  Marriott added that it further could not be argued that his guilty plea for the murder charge constituted remorse as the state had a very strong case against him. 

The NPA welcomed the sentence for the murder and house breaking charges.

Abel Matsena, the brother of the deceased, had earlier told IOL that the family just wanted to get closure following their loss. He called for the harshest punishment.