Handcuffs
A 38-year-old Northern Cape man has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Colesberg Regional court for the murder of a 21-year-old man after a dispute over a dead sheep.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, said the accused, Victor Pietersen, killed Jim Booysen on 24 July 2022 on a farm in the area.
“The deceased’s girlfriend intervened and managed to separate them. The two men then approached the owner of the farm for permission to eat the meat. The owner of the farm later instructed them to share equally. The accused later suggested that they must share with the third party, also residing on the farm, but the deceased refused,” said Senokoatsane.
“Later, the same day, the two argued in front of the accused’s house. The accused produced a knife and stabbed the deceased. The deceased collapsed and died on the scene of the crime, and the accused informed the farm owner and requested him to call an ambulance. The police were called to the scene, and the accused was arrested.”
It was also revealed during the trial that the the accused had two previous convictions of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The prosecutor also informed the court that the accused and deceased knew each other for a long time and the deceased’s family is said to be struggling to accept the loss.
According to the NPA, the accused failed to prove to the court that there were substantial and compelling grounds for the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.
“The regional court acting magistrate agreed with the prosecutor that there were no substantial and compelling grounds for the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and sentenced the accused to 15 years direct imprisonment.”
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