Earlier this year, Pirates attacker Thembinkosi Lorch was found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend Fundiswa Nokuphiwa Mathithibala. The case dates back to an incident three years ago when he was accused of having the intent to cause bodily harm by hitting and strangling her.
Lorch has now appeared in the Randburg magistrate’s court on Tuesday morning for sentencing, and was handed a three-year direct imprisonment order – which was suspended for five years with conditions that he should not be convicted of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm during this period.
He also has to pay R100 000 to People Opposing Women Abuse, a gender-based violence group, while he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act.
A case of assault was first opened by his then-girlfriend Mathithibala in September 2020 and Lorch was arrested the following day before being released on R2 000 bail.
