15-year-old boy sentenced to five years in jail for murder

A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to five years in jail for the murder of a teenager in the Eastern Cape.

The Veeplaas resident appeared in the New Brighton Regional Court where the sentence was handed down.

The minor pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting to unlawfully and unintentionally killing the victim by stabbing him multiple times with a knife.

Mitigating factors

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the court considered the minor’s age and status as a first-time offender when sentencing him to compulsory residence at Burgerdorp Child and Youth Centre under Section 76(1) of the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008.

“As part of the sentence, the minor will first be placed at the Enkuselweni Secure Centre for seven days before his admission to Burgerdorp. A Social Worker will monitor his movements and report to the court on his progress.”

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Gravity of crime

During the trial, prosecutor Anske Vermaak argued that the sentence needed to reflect the gravity of the crime while addressing the minor’s background.

She noted that the minor had exhibited troublesome behaviour since the age of 12 and lived with his elderly grandmother, who was no longer able to discipline him. He initially started to smoke dagga which progressed to cocaine.

Vermaak emphasised the need for structured rehabilitation to help the minor acquire the necessary skills for his future. She further reminded the court how the death of his victim negatively affected his family.

Murder

According to the boy’s plea statement, on the day of the incident, he was with three friends, one of whom was the deceased.

Tyali said at some point, there was a confrontation when the 18-year-old teen ran away.

“The deceased complainant ran away after being threatened by the acquaintance as the minor observed a firearm on his body. The remaining three friends then went in search of the complainant, intending to retrieve the drugs, tik they had purchased earlier. Upon finding him, they asked where the substance was, and the complainant replied that he had smoked it.

The situation escalated when the deceased pulled out a knife and threatened to stab his peers. In response, the minor, who was 14 years old at the time, and his accomplices threw stones at him, causing the knife to fall. During the ensuing altercation, they stabbed the victim multiple times, and the minor also took the knife and stabbed him,” Tiyali said.

Tiyali added that the group fled the scene after seeing a white bakkie approaching, leaving the victim’s body.

“The minor’s accomplice has since passed away due to unrelated circumstances before the trial commenced.”

Sentence welcomed

Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo, welcomed the court’s decision.

“This outcome reflects the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable while balancing the rehabilitation needs of juvenile offenders.

“We must address not only the consequences of criminal actions but also the underlying factors contributing to juvenile delinquency,” Madolo said.

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