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A North West man has been sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment for attempting to kill his 10-month-old son and seriously assaulting the child’s 69-year-old grandmother.
In a statement issued on Monday, police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh said the Madikwe regional court sentenced the 45-year-old man on Friday for attempted murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm following the attack at Tlokweng village on January 4 2024.
He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for the attempted murder of his 10-month-old son and seven years for the assault.
Myburgh said the violence erupted during an argument between the accused and the child’s mother. During the altercation, the man grabbed the baby and threw him to the ground.
Although the infant did not suffer any fractures, the attack posed a serious threat to his life.
When the child’s grandmother intervened to protect the infant, the accused allegedly assaulted her with a stick, fracturing both her arms.
The accused was arrested on January 6 2024, two days after the incident. His bail application was successfully opposed and he remained in custody throughout the trial.
He pleaded not guilty, but the state secured a conviction after presenting what police described as overwhelming evidence.
Acting North West police commissioner Maj-Gen Ryno Naidoo welcomed the conviction and sentence, commending investigating officer Det-Sgt McDonald Mosekwane, prosecutor Zola Mpayipheli and all other role players for securing the successful prosecution.
Naidoo said the sentence sent a strong message that crimes of violence, particularly those committed against vulnerable people such as children and the elderly, would be met with the full might of the law.
TimesLIVE
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