The Western Cape High Court sentenced four men to life in prison for the murder of a Western Cape farmer in 2019.
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As per the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident occurred on 13 May 2019. Ntabanyane John Tlali, Thabiso Nomoro Ramollo, Moeketsi Max Hlaudi and Keketso Thabang Matsabisa reportedly attacked Jurie Wynand Wessels and his wife on Kapteindrift farm in Bonnievale.
According to IOL, the men were seasonal workers on the farm.
‘Using their knowledge of the premises, they attacked and killed Wessels and attempted to kill his wife, Liezel Wessels,’ says Eric Ntabazalila, provincial NPA spokesperson.
The men, all Lesotho nationals, robbed Wessels of his cell phone, two firearms, ammunition and about R115 000 in cash.
‘After committing the crimes, only one accused was arrested, while his co-accused fled to Lesotho,’ says Ntabazalila. ‘The NPA lodged an extradition request for the remaining accused and after a lengthy extradition enquiry, held in Lesotho, they were extradited to South Africa.’
Advocate Megan Blows, public prosecutions deputy director, told the court that Wessels and his wife were tortured. ‘They poured boiling water over the victims, attempted to cut off the deceased’s wife’s fingers with a grinder and when the deceased and his wife prayed, cried, or talked to each other, they would be punched in the mouth.’
Blows added that the accused prolonged the torture by dragging Wessels along vines before shooting him.
During sentencing, Judge Derek Wille said that gender-based violence in the country had reached pandemic proportions. ‘The judge noted that farm murders were also very prevalent, and he believed an unambiguous message needed to be sent to offenders who participated in the type of violence and crime,’ says Ntabazalila.
‘In his view, the circumstances of the peculiar case demanded that the offenders, for all practical purposes, be removed from society for an extended period.’
The four men were subsequently handed life sentences for murder, as well as 10 years direct imprisonment for attempted murder, 15 years of direct imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years imprisonment for two counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and three months imprisonment for the contravention of the Immigration Act.
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Picture: Ye Jinghan / Unsplash