By Zuko Komisa

- Former SANDF soldier Thabo Lawrence Monyane received an 18-year prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend, Eniphe Sebolaishi Leso.
- Monyane stabbed Leso multiple times in December 2025 following an argument where he accused her of unfaithfulness.
- The Polokwane High Court declared Monyane unfit to possess a firearm after he pleaded guilty to the crime.
A former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier has been handed an 18-year direct prison sentence for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Eniphe Sebolaishi Leso.
The Polokwane High Court sentenced 42-year-old Thabo Lawrence Monyane after he pleaded guilty to killing the 34-year-old woman. Alongside his custodial sentence, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
The incident occurred at Ga-Malepetleke Village in Mahwelereng on the evening of 5 December 2025. Leso was walking along a street with a friend when Monyane pulled up in a maroon Hyundai i20.
An argument broke out after Monyane accused her of infidelity. He then produced a sharp object, stabbed Leso multiple times, and fled the scene in his vehicle. Paramedics called to the location certified Leso dead on arrival.
Police arrested Monyane shortly after following a swift investigation, seizing the suspected murder weapon and a bloodstained T-shirt as evidence. He was denied bail at his initial court appearance and remained in custody until the case reached the High Court. Sergeant Martin Dutja led the investigation that secured the conviction.
Welcoming the court’s decision, Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers commended Sergeant Dutja and the investigative team for their thorough work.
“This sentence demonstrates the commitment of the SAPS to thoroughly investigate cases of violence against women and ensure that perpetrators are brought before the courts,” Scheepers said.
“The brutal killing of women, particularly within intimate relationships, remains a serious concern. We will continue working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide face the full might of the law.”
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