Husband who killed wife in front of their children jailed

A retired teacher who brushed aside the brave attempt of his 11-year-old son to stop him committing femicide has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Siyabulela Ngcaba, 51, fatally shot his wife in their Southernwood, East London, flat in October 2016 in the presence of their minor children during a domestic violence incident, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said.

His wife had refused to allow their children to visit their paternal aunt. After a row, the man left and came back just before midnight. The wife’s children and her cousins, who were also in the flat, woke up to screams and her pleas to Ngcaba not to kill her.

“They tried intervening in vain, and even their 11-year-old son tried to intervene, but he [killed her],” said Tyali.

The boy had to relive the murder during the trial, as he was called as a witness.

Tyali said the East London regional court had to impose the discretionary minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment because the crime was committed before legislation was amended to provide for a minimum life imprisonment sentence for killing an intimate partner.

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