Bitter-sweet justice: Relebogile’s family marks her 14th birthday as killer is sentenced
THE FAMILY of Relebogile Segami, who was raped and murdered in 2022, marked what would have been her 14th birthday on the same day that her killer, Itumeleng Bendow Machabe, was sentenced to two life terms plus an additional 44 years imprisonment on February 18.
Machabe, 27, was also found guilty of using a fake Facebook profile to lure teenagers into exchanging compromising and explicit photos of themselves, which he then shared on social media.
Relebogile, 11, was strangled to death and her body was discovered in the veld behind the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature on March 31, 2022.
It was a bitter-sweet moment for the bereaved family, who are still struggling to come to terms with Relebogile’s cruel death.
Machabe was a friend of Relebogile’s brother.
Family spokesperson Jennifer Leroux said they were praying for a miracle for Relebogile's mother, Shariema Segami.
“She is unable to walk and experiences severe mental anguish following her daughter’s death. We are focusing on her recovery and she hopes that she will be able to stand up again. We are grateful that the accused will be held accountable for his actions,” said Leroux.
She thanked the young girls who were brave enough to testify in court.
“The almost 100-year sentence sends a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Leroux.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Machabe was the last person to be seen with Relebogile prior to her disappearance.
He added that Machabe was out on bail for the rape of another 15-year-old girl at the time that Relebogile was killed.
“More victims came forward to open cases against the accused following his arrest. The investigations established that the accused’s path of terror began as early as 2013, when the accused, who was a minor at the time, raped a 13-year-old girl,” said Senokoatsane.
He indicated that the charges were withdrawn by the family as the case had been dragging on for some time and the complainant was failing her grades.
He stated that one of the underage complainants was raped multiple times and forced to perform lewd acts on the accused.
“She told the court that he threatened to throw her in a dam if she screamed.”
Senokoatsane also explained that insufficient DNA was found in the swabs taken from the complainants and the deceased, as well as on the clothing tied around her neck.
He added that the forensic report advised that this could be attributed to a low sperm count, or that the accused could have ejaculated outside her body.
“He may have used a condom, may have cleaned the victim, or she might have cleaned herself.”
Northern Cape High Court Judge Cecile Williams stated that Machabe had left his victims with deep emotional scars and robbed vulnerable young girls of their virginity.
“They were traumatised and felt degraded, embarrassed and humiliated and were unable to carry on with their lives. Some of the complainants knew the accused and attempted to commit suicide. The accused showed no remorse for his actions and poses a danger to society, especially young women,” said Williams.
She doubted whether Machabe was capable of rehabilitation, saying: “Only time will tell.”
Williams noted that the case had drawn significant public interest, with the gallery packed to capacity in response to the growing concerns over gender-based violence and femicide.
“The public expects harsh sentences to be meted out for these types of offences,” she said.
Williams dismissed Machabe’s claims that he was under the impression that one of his minor victims was 18 years old, as he had met her at a tavern.
“Nothing justifies rape,” she said.
Williams also indicated that while Relebogile’s murder did not appear to be premeditated, she suspected that she was killed after she was raped.
“He could not afford to be identified as a rape accused as he was already on bail for another rape matter.”
Williams also declared Machabe unfit to possess a firearm.
Justice4All community activist Herbert Miller welcomed the sentence and commended the investigation and justice team for their dedication.
“This will ensure that no more victims will fall prey to his advances. We approached the manager in the Speaker’s Office to offer a donation so that we could buy a cake to celebrate with Relebogile’s family on Tuesday,” said Miller.
The provincial chairperson of the Moral Regeneration Movement, Reverend Fatima Malo, believed that the sentence would bring healing and closure to the family and the other victims.
“GBVF cases are increasing daily. The sentence will allow the young girls, whose lives were severely impacted, to start reclaiming their lives. We thank the community and everyone who rallied support for the affected families,” she added.
