Man who decapitated girlfriend sentenced to life in prison

The Northern Cape High Court on Wednesday sentenced 33-year-old Farel Bamberg to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of 32-year-old Roylene Jostine Mondsinger, who was his girlfriend.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Bamberg was charged with murder by Section 51(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997 amended.

“In sentencing, the High Court affirmed the guilty verdict, emphasising that the murder was premeditated and underscoring the need for a severe penalty given the violent nature of the crime,” said the NPA Regional Spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane.

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Court proceedings

The court heard how a witness saw and heard Bamberg and Mondsinger argue outside their home on 3 November and 4 November 2022. Furthermore, the witness informed the victim’s mother on 4 November 2022 about the event out of concern.

Senokoatsane said after learning of this disturbing information, the victim’s mother went to the house and found Mondsinger’s body on the kitchen floor. Bamberg was taken into custody on suspicion of murder later that day.

“Throughout the trial, Bamberg pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the prosecution, led by State Advocate Terche Engelbrecht, presented a compelling case, including a comprehensive post-mortem report that indicated the cause of death as decapitation.

“The state argued that Bamberg brutally decapitated his partner using a knife and assaulted her with various objects during the incident,” he said.

The court affirmed the significance of adopting a hard position against domestic abuse and denounced Bamberg’s disrespect for human life.

During the proceedings, evidence was also presented to support that Bamberg had been declared unfit to possess a firearm before the incident.

“The victim impact statements, drafted with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer (CPO) Trott Manghana, were submitted to aggravate the sentence, emphasising the tragic loss felt by Mondsinger’s family and community,” added Senokoatsane

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The prosecution further contended that the accused and the victim were alone in their residence at the time of the murder. The witness confirmed that the victim was alive when they left the property.

Given Bamberg’s history of aggressive conduct, including two prior convictions for assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), witnesses testified and circumstantial evidence showed that he premeditated the actions.

NPA welcomes the life sentence

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the life sentence.

“The Director of Public Prosecutions is committed to emphasising that human life is paramount and that the NPA will continue its vigorous pursuit of justice in cases of murder and gender-based violence.

“This case serves as a critical reminder of the NPA’s ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable individuals and ensure accountability for perpetrators of violent crimes,” Senokoatsane concluded.

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