A parolee who killed his girlfriend in a fit of jealousy on the Garden Route has been sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
The Western Cape High Court, sitting in Knysna, sentenced Sandiso Faku on Thursday for the murder of Ntombizodwa Mei.
Faku, who confessed to the crime, was charged with murder and defeating and obstructing the administration of justice. He was on parole for a previous conviction of robbery with aggravating circumstances, for which he had been sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment.
He admitted he and Mei were in a romantic relationship and had lived together in Nekkies.
The court heard that on April 25, Faku and Mei argued about a man he accused her of having an affair with. Faku claimed he became angry when Mei raised money issues, believing she was trying to distract him from her alleged infidelity.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Faku slapped Mei while they were in bed because she kept denying having an affair with the unknown man.
“He was not satisfied with slapping her, and he decided to sit on top of her with his knees on top of her arms to prevent her from moving,” said Ntabazalila.
“He then choked her with his right hand by pressing it around her neck with force. He noticed that she was losing consciousness and spitting blood onto his T-shirt, and she became motionless thereafter. He panicked, went to the kitchen to fetch water and attempted to resuscitate her, but it was too late.”
Ntabazalila said Faku then realised she was dead and there was nothing he could do to save her.
“On April 26 he became scared that he might be caught and did not know what to do with the body. He decided to wrap her body in blankets and pulled her out of the house to the outside toilet. He placed her in an upright position on the toilet seat, but her body tipped over as he attempted to leave the toilet. He decided to throw her headfirst into the pit latrine toilet.”
Ntabazalila said Faku admitted to senior prosecutor Phumzile Nogonyoti that he tried to hide the body to distance himself from the murder.
“The deceased’s family members asked him about [her] and he lied to them that she was at work. Mei’s colleague informed her family they had reported her missing, The police discovered the body in the toilet.
“He admitted he knew his conduct was wrong and punishable by the court. He regretted that he committed the offences and requested the court to have mercy on him when passing sentence.”
Faku was sentenced to 25 years’ direct imprisonment for murder and a further seven years for defeating and obstructing the administration of justice. The court ordered that he serve the remaining seven years of his previous sentence before commencing the lengthy term for murder.
TimesLIVE
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