By Bulelwa Hoala
- The Stilfontein Regional Court sentenced 35-year-old Lerato Valencia Pokonyane to 18 years in prison for murdering her three-month-old baby daughter, whose body was found near the N12 Road in January 2022.
- Police discovered the infant with her hands and feet tied with plastic and her face covered, alongside a bag containing baby clothes and the child’s hospital booklet.
- Pokonyane was arrested while allegedly attempting to flee South Africa through the Ficksburg Border Post, and the court also declared her unfit to possess a firearm or work with children.
The Stilfontein Regional Court has sentenced 35-year-old Lerato Valencia Pokonyane to 18 years’ imprisonment for the murder of her three-month-old baby daughter.
The court also declared Pokonyane unfit to possess a firearm and unsuitable to work with children in terms of Section 120 of the Children’s Act.
The case stems from a tragic incident on 13 January 2022, when the body of a three-month-old baby girl was discovered next to the N12 Road between Stilfontein and Potchefstroom.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), officers responded to reports of an infant lying motionless near the road.
Upon arriving at the scene, police found the baby girl with her hands and feet tied together with plastic, while her face was covered with material resembling a bandage.
Authorities also discovered a plastic bag containing baby clothes and the child’s hospital booklet near the scene. Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) later declared the infant dead.
An intensive investigation led by Detective Warrant Officer Tebogo Lawrence Tlhakanye of the Stilfontein Detectives led police to Kuruman, where the suspect was identified and tracked down.
Pokonyane, a Lesotho national, was arrested while allegedly attempting to flee South Africa through the Ficksburg Border Post.
Acting North West Provincial Commissioner Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo praised the investigating officer and all role players involved in securing the conviction and sentence.
Naidoo said police remain committed to fighting Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and femicide, describing such crimes as serious violations of human rights and threats to the safety and dignity of communities.
He added that crimes committed against vulnerable people, especially children, cannot be tolerated.
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