Cape Town - The State wants Johannes Kana to get two life terms for Anene Booysen's rape and murder, the National Prosecuting Authority in the Western Cape said on Wednesday.
“We have asked the court to sentence Johannes Kana to two life terms Ä a life term for the gruesome rape and a life for the murder,” spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said in a statement.
“We submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life.”
On Tuesday, Judge Patricia Goliath found Kana guilty of raping and murdering Booysen. The Swellendam Circuit Court on Wednesday postponed sentencing to Friday.
Booysen was raped and disembowelled and died in Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, on the afternoon of Saturday, February 2.
Kana was seen with Booysen outside a Bredasdorp pub in the early hours of that day.
Ntabazalila said: “We submitted that the heinous crime devastated Anene Booysen's family and caused an uproar within the Bredasdorp community.
“Even the doctors who treated Anene Booysen were left traumatised by her injuries.”
He said Kana took advantage of Booysen as she was under the influence of alcohol and knew she had a crush on him. When she was not interested in his advances he assaulted her and left her for dead, with Booysen not being in a position to defend herself.
“He failed to show any remorse when he was afforded an opportunity to do so. He never asked Anene Booysen's family for forgiveness,” he said.
“He lied to his family and friends pretending that he didn't know what happened to Anene Booysen.”
The NPA would return to court on Friday for the sentencing and hoped the court would agree that the only appropriate sentence was life imprisonment.
SABC radio reported earlier on Wednesday that Pieter du Toit, for Kana, said his client was under the influence of alcohol and the crime was not planned.
He reportedly said Kana had admitted guilt and apologised, and had been helpful with the investigation.
Du Toit asked that the sentences should run concurrently.
Sapa