FREE STATE — The newly established Sonskyn Police Station has delivered a landmark conviction in a brutal murder and rape case, with the Bloemfontein High Court sentencing 39-year-old Solomon Marapo to a combined 48 years behind bars. The outcome, secured less than a year after the station opened its doors, underscores the investigative capability already being built within South Africa’s newest policing facilities.
Detective Sergeant Kendrick Barnes led the investigation that linked Marapo to the killing of his 34-year-old girlfriend, Lindiwe Gumada, and worked in close consultation with State Advocate Ntunzi of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to build the case that ultimately resulted in the heavy sentence.
From Inquest to Murder and Rape: How the Case Unfolded
The case was initially reported on Monday, 27 October 2025, at approximately 16:45 as an inquest. However, a post-mortem examination revealed that Gumada had died from multiple severe injuries. Forensic evidence further showed that a candle had been forcefully inserted into the victim’s genital area, prompting investigators to immediately reclassify the matter from an inquest to murder and rape.
Through diligent detective work, Sergeant Barnes established that Marapo had killed Gumada on 25 October 2025 following a domestic altercation. In a deeply disturbing detail presented during the trial, evidence showed that Marapo continued to sleep in the same bed beside the deceased’s body for two days. It was only when decomposition set in on 27 October that he fled the scene.
His flight proved short-lived. Sergeant Barnes traced and arrested Marapo on 29 October 2025, just two days after the case was reported. The accused remained in custody throughout the duration of his trial.
The Sentence
The Bloemfontein High Court handed down 24 years’ imprisonment for murder and an additional 24 years’ imprisonment for rape, totalling 48 years.
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