THE Centane Regional Court, sentenced Siphenathi Nyembezi (27) to 22 years imprisonment after convicting him of the murder of his girlfriend, Nokuthula Gwantshu (21), seven months ago.
Nyembezi and Gwantshu lived together in the Gobe area in Centane. According to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Luxolo Tyali, Nyembezi went to report to the police that Gwantshu had died.
He then took the police to where the body was and claimed to have been acting in self-defence, as she had attacked him with a knife.
“During the trial, the prosecutor, Siyabonga Manase, dispelled the veracity of Nyembezi’s defence, that he had blacked out during the commission of the offence.
“He submitted post-mortem results, which revealed that the deceased had sustained 18 stab wounds,” said Tyali.
He added that the defence was dismissed as a manufactured and concocted version and Nyembezi was found guilty.
Manase argued that femicide was very prevalent all over the country and the courts had a duty to send a clear message to deter other would-be perpetrators.
“Welcoming the sentence, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, commended the good work of the investigating team and the prosecutor, who was able to secure a conviction based on circumstantial evidence as there were no eyewitnesses,” Tyali said.
