2 s.e.x workers jailed for life after strangling client to death with phone charger lose appeal
2 s.e.x workers jailed for life after strangling client to death with phone charger lose appeal! Two women convicted of murdering a 29-year-old man have suffered a legal blow after the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg dismissed their appeal.
Refilwe Mokgotlo (29) and Julia Rihlampfu (33) were sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2023 for the man’s strangulation with a cellphone charger cable.
In addition to their life sentences for murder, the court also sentenced them to 15 years for robbery and six months for theft.
How the Crime Unfolded
On April 13, 2019, Mokgotlo and Rihlampfu traveled from Pretoria to a pub in Fourways in search of clients.
At around 3:00 AM, a 29-year-old man agreed to their services and took them to his Sandton residence.
After purchasing food, the man engaged in consensual sex with Mokgotlo while Rihlampfu waited in another room.
However, an altercation reportedly broke out between the man and Mokgotlo, leading to a violent confrontation.
According to the investigating officer, Mokgotlo strangled the man to death using a cellphone charger cable.
After the murder, the two women fled the scene, taking the victim’s house keys and personal belongings with them.
Discovery of the Crime
The victim’s father raised concerns after being unable to contact his son.
A family friend was sent to the man’s home, where they made the grim discovery of his lifeless body and immediately alerted the police.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed that security camera footage from the apartment complex showed the victim entering his home with two women, who were later seen leaving with his house keys.
Additionally, fingerprints lifted from the crime scene matched both Mokgotlo and Rihlampfu, further linking them to the murder.
A cellphone charging cord was found wrapped around the deceased’s neck, and bank slips were discovered on his bed, suggesting an attempted financial crime.
Grounds for Appeal
After being convicted, Mokgotlo and Rihlampfu filed an appeal to challenge their murder conviction and sentencing.
Their legal argument focused on:
- Challenging the Premeditation Charge – They claimed that the court erred in concluding that the murder was premeditated and that they had sufficient time to abandon the act.
- Disputing the Use of Multiple Objects – They argued that the court incorrectly found that multiple objects were used in the crime instead of just one.
- Questioning the Evidence – They contended that the state failed to prove all elements of the offence beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Personal Circumstances – They accused the court of overemphasizing the personal circumstances of the deceased and his family.
However, the state opposed their appeal, maintaining that the trial court’s findings were legally sound and that no misdirection had occurred in the judgment.
Judge Britz Rules Against the Appeal
On Friday, February 7, 2025, Acting Judge Willem Britz reviewed the appeal application and dismissed it.
After analyzing the legal arguments and trial evidence, Britz stated that there was no need to address each claim of misdirection in detail, as the overall judgment was firmly supported by evidence.
He noted that the defendants had failed to provide a defense against their conviction and sentence, adding:
“They both attacked the state’s case on the basis of a bare denial of any wrongdoing.”
Judge Britz pointed out that, by the end of the trial, the court was faced with three conflicting accounts of what had transpired in the deceased’s home.
“The two accused gave contradictory and mutually irreconcilable versions as to what happened.”
With no direct eyewitnesses, the state relied on circumstantial evidence, which Judge Britz ruled was stronger than the conflicting narratives given by the accused.
“After weighing the strengths and weaknesses of the versions presented, the state’s account held greater credibility than the conflicting narratives offered by the two women.”
He further explained that, after reviewing his original judgment on both the merits and sentencing, he was not convinced that either applicant had a real prospect of success on appeal.
“It, therefore, stands to reason that the applications before me should be dismissed,” Judge Britz concluded.
Final Verdict
With their appeal dismissed, Mokgotlo and Rihlampfu will continue serving their life sentences in prison.
Their convictions for robbery (15 years) and theft (six months) will run concurrently with their murder sentence.
This ruling solidifies the court’s stance against violent crimes, especially those involving manipulation and exploitation under the guise of sex work.
For the victim’s family, the decision offers a measure of justice, ensuring that those responsible for their loved one’s tragic death remain behind bars.
