A Free State man has been sentenced to an effective 15 years behind bars after stabbing his girlfriend and allegedly setting a shack alight during a violent attack in Koppies earlier this year.
The Koppies Magistrate’s Court convicted 30-year-old Tumelo Theletsane of attempted murder and sentenced him to 25 years’ imprisonment, with 10 years suspended for five years.
The sentence was handed down on September 9, 2026.
Girlfriend found unconscious after stabbing
The case stems from an incident at New Location in Koppies on January 18, when police were called to a house shortly after 7am following reports of a fight.
Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani said officers arrived to find a shack that had been burnt.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had allegedly set the shack alight and stabbed his girlfriend, who was found unconscious,” Rani said.
The injured woman had been taken to a neighbour’s house before she was transported to hospital for medical treatment.
Detective investigation leads to conviction
The attempted murder investigation was assigned to Detective Constable Sebolelo Khoza.
Rani said Khoza conducted “a thorough investigation” that ultimately resulted in Theletsane’s conviction and sentence.
“The case was assigned to Detective Constable Sebolelo Khoza, who conducted a thorough investigation that led to Theletsane being found guilty and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, of which 10 years is suspended for five years,” Rani said.
The suspended portion means Theletsane faces an effective 15-year prison term, provided the conditions attached to the five-year suspension are not breached.
Theletsane’s conviction brings to a close the criminal case arising from the January attack, about eight months after police found his girlfriend unconscious.
