PINETOWN MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS FOR FEMICIDE AND IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS
BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR
PINETOWN MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS FOR FEMICIDE AND IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS
KASIBCAUDIO
PINETOWN, KWAZULU-NATAL – The Pinetown Regional Court has sentenced a 50-year-old foreign national to an effective 24 years’ direct imprisonment following his conviction for the November 2024 murder of his intimate partner and contravening the Immigration Act.
The fatal assault occurred at the couple's home in the Dassenhoek area of Mariannhill, Kwazulu-Natal.
Circumstantial Evidence and Crime Scene Discovery
The deceased’s body was discovered after the couple’s minor child walked into their room and found his mother lying dead on the floor while his father was asleep on the bed. The child raised the alarm, alerting neighbors and the accused's brother, who unsuccessfully attempted to perform CPR before emergency medical services arrived.
Prosecutor Rowen Bevin Souls built a case relying on circumstantial evidence and a confession made by the accused to a witness at the scene:
Prior Assault: Neighbors testified that shortly before the murder, the victim had sought refuge at a nearby house reporting an assault by the accused. When neighbors tried to intervene, the accused told them to mind their own business and locked the room door.
No Intervening Parties: The landlord and the landlord’s sister confirmed that no other individuals entered or exited the room between the initial confrontation and the discovery of the body by the child.
Sentencing and Deviation from Life Imprisonment
Because the crime occurred within a domestic relationship, the court noted that the statutory minimum sentence for the murder charge was life imprisonment. However, the court found substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentence, citing that the accused was a first-time offender with no prior evidence indicating he was beyond rehabilitation.
The court handed down the following sentences:
| Charge | Sentence |
| Murder | 22 years’ imprisonment |
| Immigration Act Violation (Sec 49(1)(a)) | 2 years’ imprisonment |
| Effective Direct Sentence | 24 years (consecutive execution) |
The court further declared the convict unfit to possess a firearm.
NPA Commitment to Combatting GBVF
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence, reiterating that curbing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) remains an organizational priority. The NPA commended the prosecution team and law enforcement partners for securing a direct prison term and holding the perpetrator accountable
