The Tlhabane Regional Court in the North West sentenced Atlholang William Mosiane (34) to life imprisonment for the murder of his 27-year-old girlfriend.

Mosiane was a law enforcement officer at the Rustenburg Traffic Department and he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. NPA Regional spokesperson Henry Mamothame said that Mosiane's conviction emanates from an incident that occurred on 25 March 2021 at Lefaragatlha near Tlhabane, wherein he went to his girlfriend's home as they had agreed to meet at 7 pm that night. "She was not home when he arrived and he proceeded to look for her at her friend's house in Tlhabane to no avail. He then went back to her home and found her in her shack. He demanded to check her phone to which she complied while also telling him not to interrogate her about the content in the phone," Mamothane said. He said an argument ensued and the girlfriend subsequently took her phone and called her father. "Upon answering the call, the father heard a gunshot and quickly rushed to the shack accompanied by the deceased' younger sister. When they arrived he had already shot her five times killing her on the spot. He then took their 10-year-old son and left the scene," he said. 

Mamothame said after that, Mosiane later handed himself over to the police and the court granted him bail. "During court proceedings, he tendered a guilty plea which the state rejected, as it was an attempt to avoid a longer jail term. The state prosecutor, Mercia Magano urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, as the accused was a law enforcement officer who had a responsibility to uphold the law," he said. Mamothame said that Magistrate Segakweng Moeng agreed with the state and remarked on the character displayed by the accused of being regretful but not remorseful. "A life sentence was subsequently imposed for pre-meditated murder," he said.