A man from the Western Cape has been given a life sentence for the brutal murder of his girlfriend in the presence of her child.
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According to IOL, Esethu Cawe received his conviction and sentencing at the Clanwilliam Regional Court on Friday.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape, Cawe used two knives to stab his girlfriend, Relebohile Ncephe, a total of 19 times.
NPA representative Eric Ntabazalila stated that one of the knives broke during the attack, which occurred in front of the victim’s minor child.
The tragic incident unfolded on 22 August 2022, at the victim’s residence on Govan Mbeki Street in Khayelitsha.
Ncephe’s four-year-old daughter was present during the attack.
In addition to the murder conviction, the 26-year-old was found guilty of violating a protection order issued on 26 July 2022, which prohibited him from assaulting, threatening, or verbally abusing Ncephe. For this breach, he received a four-year prison sentence.
Regarding the murder, Ntabazalila explained that Cawe repeatedly called the victim until she agreed to meet him, with her sister present at the time.
‘Her four-year-old daughter also accompanied her. They started talking and the sister left to give them space to talk privately.’
‘During the discussion, the accused asked the deceased about her whereabouts the previous weekend, got angry when he did not get the answers he wanted, grabbed a knife, and stabbed her until the knife broke.’
‘He grabbed a bigger knife and stabbed her until that knife also broke.’
‘He left that knife on her body and was only taken out during a post-mortem. This repeated stabbing happened in front of her four-year-old child who ran outside screaming.’
The NPA reported that Cawe expressed interest in negotiating a plea and sentencing agreement, proposing an 18-year sentence through his legal representatives.
‘The State rejected the offer based on the severity of the case and its long-term traumatising impact on the deceased’s minor child.’
‘The State believed the victim’s death was a result of extreme violence and physical abuse.’
During the trial, it emerged that the stabbing occurred just four days following the extension of a protection order against Cawe, which was set to be confirmed on 8 September 2022.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, advocate Nicolette Bell, commended the investigative efforts and specifically praised the prosecution team for declining an offer deemed insensitive to the heinous nature of the crime committed by the accused and its impact on the victim, her minor child, and their family.
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Picture: Gallo Images