Girlfriend Killed Over Motshelo Money

Mpho Mokwape | Monday August 4, 2014 14:35

The 42-year-old Chamo Rannoloso was found guilty in October 2011 and sentenced to 20 years behind bars for killing his lover. He had appealed his conviction and sentence.

When passing judgment, Justice Seth Twum said the act made on the deceased’s body made a chilling reading adding that the convicted man had no right asking for the court’s mercy.

He said for the Judge to have convicted and sentenced him, he took a very serious view of the senseless murder of the deceased over the small issue of money.  “In my view, the right balance was struck and the sentence of 20 years is within the threshold of the murder sentencing guidelines,” he said.

The Judge explained that even though the court took into account that the prosecutor admitted that the state’s case was based on circumstantial evidence it still proved beyond reasonable doubt that the lover was guilty.

 “In my view the prosecution’s case was based on circumstantial evidence. It is considered appropriate and desirable that a fair summary of the most critical areas of evidence be set out in this judgment so as to give substance to the issues raised and the conclusions which the trial judge drew,” Twum said. Rannoloso who was 37-years-old at the time of the murder in 2009,while the deceased girlfriend was 53 years, had appealed his conviction on the grounds that the court erred in finding that the prosecution had successfully proved his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

He argued that the failure by the arresting officer to caution him before recording his statement conduced to a miscarriage of justice adding that the court also used his constitutional right to remain silent against him.

“The court used my exercise to remain silent as indicative of showing no remorse even though it was totally not true,” he had argued.

The appeal was before Justice Isaac Lesetedi, Justice Seth Twum and Justice Alistair Abernethy.