Protection order meaningless: Free State man stabs wife to death in front of children

A protection order did not save a Free State mother when her husband stabbed her repeatedly, first with a broken beer bottle and then with a knife, in front of their children.

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The man was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment on contravention of a protection order and life imprisonment for murder by the High Court of South Africa Free State Division in Welkom.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said that on 6 August last year, the accused, who was residing on a farm with his family, arrived at his house and found his wife at their home looking after their two minor children.

“The accused who had previously abused his wife, and had a protection order against him granted in 2022, started an argument with his wife,” Senokoatsane said.

“During the altercation, the accused broke a beer bottle and started to stab his wife with it. He then took a knife and continued to stab the wife several times wherever he could lay his hand.

“Even when she fell, he continued to attack the helpless wife in the presence of their minor children. The police were called and the accused was arrested. He was remanded in custody until the conclusion of the matter,” said Senokoatsane.

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Stabbed more than18 times

During the trial, senior state advocate Dansi Mpemvane argued that the court should ensure that the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment as it had a fundamental duty to send a clear message to other perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) crimes.

Femicide cases had become a pandemic that was destroying the core fabric of society, as children were left to grow up without their parents who had been killed by their partners, Mpemvane argued.

The advocate further held that the accused had shown no remorse as he had killed his wife by stabbing her more than 18 times, and he had little respect for the law because he continued to abuse his wife even when he knew that there was a protection order in place.

The court also heard how the accused had previously stabbed his wife on several occasions before and how she had opened criminal cases and later withdrew them.

In building the state’s case a post-mortem report was presented to the court, which indicated that the victim had sustained injuries all over her body with over 18 stab wounds.

The sentencing

In sentencing, the court gave a lengthy judgment, emphasising the seriousness of this type of offence.

For contravention of the protection order, the accused was sentenced to two years imprisonment and for the count of murder, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment.

“The NPA envisages that these sentences will provide some justice and closure to the families of the victims as the perpetrators of these violent crimes are removed from the communities,” Senokoatsane said.

“It can never be over-emphasised how important human life is and therefore the Prosecuting Authority will be vigorous in its pursuit of these cases to serve as a deterrent to would-be murderers.”

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