South African football star Thembinkosi Roach has been sentenced to a prison for assaulting his former girlfriend, Fundiswa Nokufiwa Matitibala
On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the Randburg Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg sentenced the Orlando Pirates player to three years in prison for assault.
The sentence was suspended for five years, provided that he is not convicted of a similar offense during the probationary period.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of R100,000 to the nongovernmental organization People Against the Abuse of Women (POWA).
His then-girlfriend filed a complaint with the Midland police in September 2020, which resulted in his arrest and subsequent release on R2,000 bail.
Lorch was arrested on September 7, 2020, following an incident at his residence in Midland on September 6, 2020.
Fundiswa Nokfiwa Mathithibala was visiting Lorch when he left Lorch at home to go out with a friend; Mathithibala saw that he was running late and messaged him to return his car keys.
Upon arrival, they argued and violently attacked her, choked her, beat her, and pulled her up and down. She called for help and his friends came to her aid.
State prosecutor Ms. Michelle Hart argued that the medical evidence corroborated the plaintiff’s evidence.
‘The defendant was not injured, which means he was the aggressor,’ she said.
‘The accused and his witnesses did not make a good impression in court.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would continue its fight against gender-based violence to protect women from GBV perpetrators.
