LIMPOPO – During the trial the court heard that on 10 June 2016 at Five Rand shop at Madombidzha Two, in the evening, the deceased was with his lover when the accused arrived armed with a knife and without saying a word, jumped on him and stabbed him once in the head. The deceased started to bleed profusely and ran away.
The accused chased him but the deceased outran him. The accused returned and started to chase the lover of the deceased threatening to stab her also. She also ran away and hid at the cemetery.
The deceased was taken to the local clinic for treatment and the next morning he was transferred to Louis Trichardt hospital where he later passed on. The accused was arrested the following day. He pleaded not guilty and was found guilty on 29 August.
The Prosecutor, Adv Ratshilumela Makhera, submitted in aggravation of sentence that what the accused did was ugly, gruesome and unacceptable.
“He took somebody’s life, which is a precious gift from God. He submitted that the accused must go to prison for a long time so that he can be rehabilitated.”
Judge Nare Kgomo emphasized that the accused is not a first time offender and he has the propensity of committing more crimes.
Therefore, the court deemed it fit so send him to prison for a long time so that he can be rehabilitated.
The sentence in the assault common charge was ordered to run concurrently with the sentence in the murder count.
The NPA welcomes the sentence.
