Suspects in three separate murder cases in De Aar and Kenhardt were recently sentenced after court proceedings were concluded.
- Gladwin Steenkamp (26) from Kenhardt received life sentence for the murder of an eight-year-old boy.
He was sentenced in the High Court in Upington on Friday, 13 October, said Capt. Nelis Prins, police spokesperson.
This followed an incident during last year in Kenhardt when Steenkamp assaulted his girlfriend, Andrea Rooi, on 29 November. She and her mother registered an assault case at the police station the next day, and requested for a court order against Steenkamp.
Steenkamp then went to his girlfriend’s house, where he slit the throat of her eight-year-old brother, Philliano Rooi. He covered the boy in a duvet and hid him under a bed where he was later found.
The meticulous investigation by Det. WO Elrich Mienies of the police in Kenhardt led to the conviction of Steenkamp, who apart from the life sentence received an additional 14-year sentence for the assault of his girlfriend.
Adv. Tercheen Engelbrecht, the state prosecutor of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), also played an integral part in securing this outstanding prosecution, said Prins.
- Mietjie Steenkamp from the De Aar region has recently been sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment by the De Aar Regional Court after being found guilty on a charge of murder.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, NPA spokesperson, said the accused and the deceased, who were husband and wife and who were staying on the Vloekpoort Farm near De Aar, were visited on 29 July by neighbours and enjoyed a few drinks together.
It is alleged that while drinking the couple started to argue. The wife stabbed the husband underneath his ear with a knife, causing his death.
The matter was reported to the police, after which Steenkamp was arrested and charged with murder.
- The De Aar Regional Court has sentenced Brian Tree recently to life imprisonment after he was convicted for the premeditated murder of Patrick Sampson.
This followed an incident on 21 August 2021 when Tree stabbed Sampson in the chest in the neighbours’ house after an argument. The autopsy later revealed that the deceased had four wounds, with the chest wound the cause of death, said Senokoatsane. The police were alerted, and the accused arrested and charged with murder.
Despite overwhelming evidence during the trial, Tree denied wrongdoing and being the perpetrator. However, amongst other it was proved that Tree had three previous convictions of assault and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The court found that Tree acted with premeditation and with direct intent, agreeing with the prosecution that the accused showed no remorse when he stabbed the victim four times. The court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from life and the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment.
