Eswatini man gets 18 years in jail for stabbing girlfriend to death
Image: 123RF/Allan Swart
A man who stabbed his girlfriend a number of times after finding her at his brother’s house last year was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for her murder.
The Mpumalanga high court handed down the sentence to Celumusa Dube, 44, from Eswatini on Wednesday.
The murder happened on his birthday on February 24 when he went to a local tavern in Barberton to drink liquor.
On his way back to his home, Dube went past his brother’s house. When Dube’s knocks elicited no response, he became aggressive and broke down the door.
Dube found his brother with his girlfriend and a dispute ensued with the girlfriend. Dube attacked her with a knife, stabbing her several times until she died.
The accused pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court found Dube guilty of premeditated murder.
However, the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. It took into consideration that the accused was a first offender and that he showed remorse by pleading guilty.
Dube was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for murder and five years for housebreaking with intent to murder.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
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