Convicted murderer Rudolf Hufke has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the robbery and murder of first-year BSc student Jesse Mitchell, following a plea and sentencing agreement, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Hufke appeared in the Stellenbosch Regional Court on Monday, where the court viewed CCTV footage showing him following Mitchell moments before the fatal attack.
‘The two-minute video, played on a television screen in court, showed Hufke following Mitchell from the moment he exited the university building,’ said Detective Sergeant Kelvin Moses, as quoted by 2OceansVibe and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The footage showed Hufke stabbing Mitchell in the neck and robbing him of his backpack before leaving the scene. ‘The deceased’s DNA and the accused’s fingerprints were both found on the weapon,’ Moses added.
According to the NPA, Hufke admitted that on 15 October 2024, he and an accomplice robbed another victim, identified as a Stellenbosch University employee, in Jan Cilliers Street, Stellenbosch.
The following morning, on 16 October, Hufke was in Borcherd Street looking for potential victims to rob using a knife. CCTV footage captured him moments before he stabbed Mitchell as the student rode past on his bicycle.
Mitchell’s family described him as driven and full of promise. His brother, Joshua, said Jesse had celebrated his 19th birthday on the day of his death and spoke of his love for church, gym, and photography. The family said that while no sentence could bring Jesse back, they welcomed the verdict as a measure of accountability.
Police arrested Hufke shortly after the attack. He later abandoned a bail application and remained in custody throughout the trial.
The court sentenced Hufke to:
-
Life imprisonment for Mitchell’s murder
-
15 years’ direct imprisonment for Mitchell’s robbery (with aggravating circumstances)
-
15 years’ direct imprisonment for the robbery of the Stellenbosch University employee (with aggravating circumstances)
The sentences will run concurrently.
The ruling brings closure to a case that deeply affected Mitchell’s family and the Stellenbosch student community.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: Theo Jeptha / Gallo Images
