Wannabe rapper turned murderer Martin Ncube has been sentenced to an effective 22 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Pringle Bay resident Farah Thompson.
Thompson’s widower, Roger, said he was disappointed by what he called a “lenient sentence”.
Ncube, from Zimbabwe, worked as a gardener for the Thompsons for about a year, but had dreams of becoming a rapper in Cape Town, and releasing his own album.
In a plea, he admitted to killing 53-year-old Thompson in August last year. He said his initial intention was to rob her.
In his plea, he said, on that day, he arrived at the house and decided he wanted to rob her.
“I had dreams of becoming a rap artist in Cape Town and having my own album. On that day I decided and planned to rob Mrs Thompson, but I did not know how I was going to do it,” Ncube said.
He then hatched a plan while he was in the bathroom. After using the toilet, he grabbed Thompson around her neck, taped her mouth shut and chained her legs to a chair.
He took her handbag and bank card, and demanded the PIN.
Ncube said he wanted to take her BMW but could not drive, and when he asked Thompson how to drive the car she was unresponsive.
“I drove to Hermanus and on my way I decided to accelerate the car in an attempt to take my life because of what I did,” Ncube said.
He sustained facial injuries.
The Western Cape High Court yesterday sentenced Ncube to 22 years’ imprisonment for murder and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The sentences will run concurrently.
Thompson’s widower said he expected Ncube to be sentenced to life imprisonment.
“He doesn’t deserve to get out of prison, he should have received a harsher sentence,” he said.
In his plea, Ncube asked the family for forgiveness.
“I humbly ask for forgiveness from the family of the deceased person, and my own family,” he said.
Roger said his wife was a homemaker. The couple had two sons, aged 30 and 33.
“We are struggling, we just have to carry on,” Thompson said.
Advocate Sabata Choane said: “This accused committed these offences out of greed. It is clear from the accused that the robbery was planned, what is not clear though is why the accused chose the deceased as his victim and why the deceased had to die.
“Farah Thompson was a beloved mother, sister and loving wife when the accused ended her life.”