Socialite and influencer Inno Morolong has been sentenced to 12 months house arrest after she took to Instagram to accuse her former friend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, of being a scammer, a sex worker and engaging in illegal activities with muthi.
The Randburg Magistrate's Court found Morolong guilty of crimen injuria on Wednesday after Thobejane brought a case against her former friend and actor.
In 2023, Morolong took to Instagram Live where she accused Thobejane of engaging in illegal activities, including scamming, sex work, and using muthi.
The Randburg Magistrate’s Court has imposed strict conditions, including community service, rehabilitation, and placed a prohibition on alcohol and drug use for the duration of her 12 month sentence.
The sentence includes a wholly suspended 12-month imprisonment for five years, on the condition that Morolong does not commit crimen injuria again during this period.
Additionally, she will serve a full year under correctional supervision, confined to house arrest from 6pm to 6am on non-working days.
Exceptions are granted for community service, religious activities, and medical needs.
Morolong must also perform at least 16 hours of community service per month and attend life skills programmes as part of her rehabilitation.
Reacting to the verdict, Thobejane expressed her relief and gratitude through an Instagram post.
"Justice has been served. Let this be a reminder that stalking, harassment, and bullying are serious offences," she wrote, emphasising the importance of holding people accountable for their online conduct.
This is not the first time Morolong has found herself in controversy over online behaviour.
In 2021, rapper Gigi Lamayne found herself at the centre of a public feud with Morolong, who made derogatory remarks about her on social media.
At the time, Gigi Lamayne initially pursued legal action but later withdrew her case, citing the toll it had taken on her mental health.
However, she later claimed that she was blackmailed into dropping the case, revealing on Twitter: "The most powerful thing I can do is tell the truth. I’ve been threatened with explicit content sent to her apparently by my ex wanting to destroy me," Gigi Lamayne revealed in a now-deleted tweet.
Earlier this month, she posted images from her court appearances, thanking those who stood by her, saying: "It's incredible how far we've come. Our judicial system is addressing those who think it's acceptable to undermine someone's dignity and toy with people's livelihoods."
IOL