Thabo Samuel Segale has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his 24-year-old girlfriend, Amogelang Princess Mpete.
The Mogwase Regional Court in North West handed down the sentence on July 31, 2025.
Segale killed Mpete with a pickaxe in front of her seven-year-old child and 12-year-old sibling after an argument.
The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm. Segale pleaded guilty and had remained in custody since his arrest the day after the murder in 2019.
A victim impact statement highlighted the deep emotional trauma suffered by the children who witnessed the attack.
The prosecutor described the act as savage and called for a sentence that reflects public outrage and affirms the sanctity of life.
The Director of Public Prosecutions welcomed the ruling as a strong message against gender-based violence.
