On 16 August Mbulelo Matroos (39) was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for killing his intimate partner, Simthandile Skeyi (27).
On 21 June 2021, in Majola Street, Zolani in Ashton he stabbed Skeyi to death, following a history of domestic violence documented, as the deceased had laid three charges of assault against the accused in the past.
On the day of the incident Matroos was looking for the deceased who was not at home, and when she returned an argument ensued between them, in which he accused her of infidelity. He admitted he became angry and stabbed her.
The accused had no previous convictions and was a primary caregiver. In her judgment Regional Court magistrate Abigail Juries stated she found no substantial or compelling reason to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
The prosecutor, advocate Heinrich Koert, led evidence in aggravation of sentence by referring to a victim-impact statement in the case, which cites next of kin of the deceased, who now are duty-bound to care for her children. He argued any deviation from the sentence would over-emphasise the accused’s personal circumstances rather than the need to address high levels of GBV in communities.
