Kabelo Masoabi
TŠELISO Kompi of Ha Nyenye in Maputsoe has appealed against his conviction and 28-year prison sentence for the murder of his business partner and former police officer, Tihang Molupe.
Kompi was sentenced by the High Court sitting at Tšifa-Li-Mali in Leribe in December last year after being found guilty of murdering Mr Molupe.
The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear his appeal on 6 October.
Kompi is challenging both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the High Court convicted him without substantial evidence and that the 28-year sentence was unduly harsh.
Mr Molupe was shot dead on 25 February 2020 following a dispute between the two men over money from cattle sales in South Africa.
The two had been engaged in livestock brokering business.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that a dispute arose after one of the cattle sales when Kompi allegedly proposed withholding the proceeds from the livestock owners.
Mr Molupe subsequently decided to retain the money, resulting in a confrontation between the two men.
The prosecution alleged that Kompi, acting together with accomplices, later plotted Mr Molupe’s murder.
Mr Molupe was subsequently shot several times.
Kompi, who was 30 at the time of the offence, denied any involvement in the killing and relied on an alibi, claiming that he was in South Africa when Mr Molupe was murdered.
He produced a copy of his passport in support of his claim.
The prosecution, however, produced two passport copies bearing the same passport number but containing different stamps relating to the night of the murder.
The discrepancy was relied upon by the State to challenge the credibility of Kompi’s alibi.
In imposing the 28-year sentence, the High Court described the offence as serious and found that the evidence pointed to deliberate planning and execution.
The court held that a substantial custodial sentence was necessary, finding that a sentence of less than 20 years would not adequately reflect the gravity of the offence.
The court further said the sentence should serve to deter others from committing similar crimes while denouncing premeditated killings.
It also stressed the need for society to reject killings arising from financial disputes, as well as offences influenced by substance abuse.
Meanwhile Kompi is also facing a separate murder and theft case over the death of Maphutseng Koetle, a security officer who was allegedly killed during an armed robbery in Maputsoe on 24 April 2017.
In that matter, Kompi and his alleged accomplice, Tšehla Jane, face a murder charge and a charge relating to the use of threats of violence to facilitate the theft of M300, in contravention of Section 64 of the Penal Code Act No. 6 of 2010, read with Section 26(1). This matter is still pending before the High Court.
