NOORDWESTER – LICHTENBURG - The High Court of South Africa; North West Division sentenced Johannes Damcy Dielele (36), to life imprisonment for murdering his girlfriend.
He was sentenced to a further five years for unlawful possession of a firearm and three years for possession of ammunition. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
His conviction emanates from an incident that occurred on 04 August 2018 at the Boikhutso location, near Litchtenburg, wherein he went to his lover’s home and did not find her. He then requested her younger sister to alert him when his girlfriend arrived, to which she did.
He subsequently drove back to his lover’s home and was told she went to an outside toilet.
It was testified in court that an argument ensued between the two, leading to the accused collecting his gun from the car and shooting his girlfriend in full view of her younger sister. The deceased’s mother also came out of the house and saw the accused before he could flee the scene.
The matter was reported to the police and Dielele was found hiding in his car in Lichtenburg the following day. The court denied him bail, he stayed the duration of the trial in police custody. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor, Adv Cain Nontenjwa urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment, as there were no compelling circumstances to do so. He further argued that the accusers’ conduct has left their daughter (7) in a traumatic state that will affect her life for a long time. Judge Sandiswa Mfenyana agreed with the state and remarked on the character displayed by the accused of being remorseless for his actions.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, lauded the collaboration between the prosecutor, Warrant Officer Isaac Seeco from the SAPS and other role players who ensured that the perpetrator was brought to book.
