A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to life behind bars by the North West High Court after shooting his girlfriend in front of her family. Johannes Damcy Dielele was convicted for the incident that took place in Boikhutso, near Lichtenburg in August 2018.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Henry Mamothame, Dielele went to his lover’s home but did not find her.
He then asked her younger sister to inform him when his girlfriend arrived, which she did. Dielele returned to the house and was told that his girlfriend had gone to an outside toilet.
An argument ensued between the couple, leading Dielele to retrieve his gun from the car and shoot his girlfriend in full view of her younger sister. The deceased’s mother came out of the house and saw the accused before he could escape.
Police were alerted and later found Dielele hiding in his car in Lichtenburg. He was denied bail and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
In court, state prosecutor advocate Cain Nontenjwa argued that there were no compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
He highlighted the traumatic impact the incident had on the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, urging the court to consider the long-term effects on her life. Judge Sandiswa Mfenyana agreed, noting the accused’s lack of remorse for his actions.
Dielele was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, an additional five years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and three years for possession of ammunition. Furthermore, he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
