LESHATE SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON.
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The MEC for Social Development, Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola has welcomed a 22 year sentence handed down to one of the murderers of Lizette and Hettie Deacon in the Limpopo High Court on Wednesday,03 August 2022. The suspect faces two counts of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Department spokesperson Adéle van der Linde says the Deacon women were overpowered in their Polokwane home on 10 September 2020, strangled and stabbed and their bodies dumped in the back of their car by the attackers. After a chase by police the vehicle was found with the bodies still inside.
According to reports Leshate Lazarus Mahlo pointed out the scenes and cooperated with police immediately after the crime because he was apparently remorseful.
In aggravation of sentence, however, Adv. Kobus Jacobs sumitted that the whole crime emanated from greed and that the murders could have been avoided.
MEC Masemola says the murder of the Deacons in 2020 placed the spotlight firmly on the unnecessary violence against the vulnerable groups of society and especially women and children. It is significant that the sentence comes during the commemoration of Women’s Month, a month in which they usually celebrate the strides made by women but during which they have to redouble the efforts against GBVF a second pandemic that is continuing to ravage South African communities.
MEC Masemola applauded the SAPS and the NPA for their committed investigation and prosecution efforts.
