Zimbabwean gets 14 years for killing Moroccan diplomat in Pretoria

A young Zimbabwean who killed a Moroccan diplomat after he woke up naked in the man’s Waterkloof flat, was jailed for 14 years by the High Court in Pretoria.

Judge Mohamed Ismail sentenced Nigel Khahari, 21, for the October 2014 murder of Moroccan consular officer Fatmi Noureddine, for stealing from him, and for being an illegal immigrant.

Noureddine was found dead in a pool of blood in his bedroom. He had been stabbed 42 times and his throat had been slit.

Khahari stole his victim's camera, almost R10,000 in cash, his cellphone, and a bag with passports. The camera contained a photo he had taken of his victim's buttocks after the murder.

Noureddine befriended Khahari while the accused worked as a packer at a local shop, and invited him to his flat on several occasions.

Khahari at first claimed Noureddine attacked him with a knife. He however later conceded that he killed him after they had drinks together and he woke up naked in the man's bed the next morning.

He became angry when he asked for the keys to the flat so he could leave. Noureddine refused and told him to calm down.

Social worker Erna Pieterse testified that Khahari had grown up with a violent, alcoholic father and a mostly absent mother. He had learnt to suppress his emotions from a young age and to react to conflict with violence.

She pointed out that Khahari came from a country where being homosexual was a crime. He had felt ashamed, angry, and disappointed in Noureddine. Khahari had thought he would help him get a better job.

Ismail described the murder as brutal and said there was no evidence to bolster Khahari's subjective belief that he had been sexually violated.

He plundered Noureddine’s apartment after the murder and took a photo of his victim's lifeless body. He had ample time to reflect on his actions, but then stole his victim's belongings.

Ismail said what counted in Khahari's favour was that he was still relatively young, a first offender, and had spent about a year in custody while awaiting trial.

Source: News24