The High Court in Limpopo, sitting in Thohoyandou, has convicted and sentenced a 29-year-old man, Ceasman Dala Chauke, to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his girlfriend.
The murder happened at Dzingi Dzingi village, under the Giyani Mopani District, according to provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
“The court heard that in the early hours of Saturday, April 8, 2023, the victim was with two people, her cousin and a friend, walking from a nearby tavern when the suspect, who is the father of her child, accosted her. The two had an argument in which the suspect assaulted the victim,” said Ledwaba.
The woman’s friend ran to the victim's residence to alert the family.
The woman’s cousin tried to intervene, but the 29-year-old man overpowered her. The cousin was also assaulted, and she fled the scene, leaving Chauke attacking the mother of his child.
Chauke continued to attack the defenceless woman, using stones, she later became unconscious.
When the friend finally returned to the scene with the woman’s brother, police said they found the victim in a critical condition.
“She was taken to the nearest hospital for medical attention, where she succumbed to her injuries. Police were notified about the incident, and they opened a case of murder. The case was assigned to Sergeant Shirandiwa Anastacia Vuma for investigation,” said Ledwaba.
“Through her hard work and dedication, the suspect was arrested on Monday, April 10 2023, at Jilongo village. The suspect was released on bail.”
Chauke was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the conviction and sentencing handed down on Chauke.
Hadebe has saluted the investigating officer, and all other roleplayers “for a job well done which resulted in the life imprisonment”.
Earlier this year, then-police minister Bheki Cele expressed concern about the spike in the murder rate in the country, with 7,710 people brutally killed between October and December 2023.
Cele said this was an increase of 2.1% compared to the same period of 2022.
IOL