Durban - A Donnybrook man who savagely killed his girlfriend because he believed her family was responsible for his parents deaths through witchcraft, has been sentenced to an 30 years in prison.
Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Rishi Seegobin, on Wednesday sentenced 23-year-old Thobani Memela to 25 years for the murder of his girlfriend, Lindokuhle Memela and 10 years for the attempted murder of her brother, Mthembeni Memela. Five years of the attempted murder sentence was ordered to run concurrently with the sentence for murder.
The state led evidence at the trial relating to the tragic events of February 13 this year.
Some time before the murder, Memela’s parents died and he blamed Lindokuhle’s family for bewitching his parents.
Memela decided to kill his girlfriend and her brother to avenge his parents.
He armed himself with a spear and on that fateful morning, he stormed into their home and found them eating breakfast.
In an enraged frenzy, he attacked and stabbed Mthembeni with the spear. When his girlfriend tried to stop him, he turned his attention to her and stabbed her multiple times.
Mthembeni escaped with his life despite suffering severe injuries. His sister died on the scene.
In aggravation of sentence, Lindokuhle’s sister, Nomagugu Memela, testified.
She broke down in tears on the stand, detailing the traumatic effects the murder had on her family, particularly her sister’s 12-year old daughter.
She said that the murder had affected the child to such an extent that she was not able to pass any of her examinations this year. The child is in Grade 6.
“The loss of her mother in such a gruesome fashion will undoubtedly live with this child for a long time,” Seegobin said when sentencing Memela.
The judge said it was regrettable that one sees, on a daily basis in South Africa, deaths motivated by primitive beliefs such as witchcraft and other superstitions.
“This cannot be acceptable in a civilised society,” Seegobin said, adding that it was clear from the evidence that Memela was on a mission of revenge when he set out to kill his girlfriend.
The judge said it was expected that Memela would at least get on the witness stand and tell the court why he committed the crimes, but he maintained his innocence until the end.
Judge Seegobin said it was Memela’s subjective belief in witchcraft, coupled with the fact that he is a first offender, that justified a sentence lesser than life.
When asked by Seegobin if he wished to tender an apology to his girlfriend’s family, Memela said he had nothing to say.
Daily News