Wisani's conviction a step in right direction: Lawyers for Human Rights

21 November 2016 - 16:31 By Nomahlubi Jordaan

The conviction of former ANC Johannesburg youth league head Patrick Wisani is a "step towards the right direction" in dealing with those who commit femicide. This is according to Lawyers for Human Rights' Mdu Mtshweni who was speaking outside the Randburg Magistrate's Court where the Johannesburg High Court was sitting for the murder case against Wisani.Wisani was on Monday convicted of the murder of his girlfriend whom he beat to death with a sjambok in 2015. "We are happy and sad because the judgment will not bring back the deceased. But we are happy that one person who has committed femicide is behind bars‚" said Mtshweni.Mtshweni said a life sentence was an appropriate sentence for Wisani‚ who took the court's advise to get legal representation for his mitigation of sentence.Judge Mohamed Ismail "warned" Wisani against representing himself as he had done in his trial."It might be prudent for you to obtain legal representation for sentencing‚ Ismail said‚ adding that the state might ask for life imprisonment to be imposed on Wisani. Maurice Smithers who represented the Yeoville and Bellvue coalition‚ welcomed the guilty verdict in Wisani’s case."We are relieved that justice has been done. It's a very tragic situation given that a life was lost."Smithers said Wisani's conviction was a waste as he could have been an asset to society."He is one of many young people who are almost doomed to waste their lives."Hopefully he will learn from this and come out a changed person‚" he said...

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