MEN SENTENCED AFTER SETTING THEIR PARTNERS ON FIRE
The Worcester Regional Court has sentenced two men to 15- and 25-years imprisonment following their convictions for murders of their partners who they set alight. The court sentenced Ruiter Erasmus to 25 years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty in terms of Section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, for the murder of his partner, Monica Daniels. Acting regional court prosecutor, Amisha Ratanjie, who secured both convictions and sentences told the court that Erasmus and the deceased were in a life partnership. On the day of the incident, 12 October 2022, the couple argued at their Shrike Street, Avian Park, Worcester home over money the deceased’s son requested. He stabbed her about 16 times, all over her body, set the bedroom alight, closed the door and left the house. The family and neighbours saw the smoke and went to investigate. The necessary authorities were contacted, and she was declared dead on the scene. He later handed himself to the police.
In aggravation of sentence, Ratanjie argued that the accused was in a position of trust and the deceased looked to him for her well-being, love, and protection. He instead acted in a brutal, callous, and violent manner. The heinous nature of the offence cannot be diminished to such an extent that it justifies deviation from the court’s discretionary powers. The State agreed that no sentence was going to bring the deceased back to life. However, the deceased, the family of the deceased and the interest of society are asking for justice instead of the return of the deceased.
Despite the argument, the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment as the accused was a first offender and did not put the family of the deceased and the witnesses through a protracted trial. In the second case, Richard Samuels also pleaded guilty in terms of Section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act for the murder of his wife, Valencia Samuels. The court heard that on 15 January 2022, at Oktober Street, Roodewal, Worcester, the couple argued after the deceased confronted the accused about an extramarital affair he had. He became angry and started swearing and shouting at her. He then doused her with petrol and set her alight. She was taken to hospital but succumbed to her injuries about 10 days later. The incident took place in the presence of their minor child who was 14 years old at the time.
The accused was arrested and initially charged with attempted murder which was later changed to murder. In aggravation of the sentence, the State handed in victim impact reports of Lea Magdelena Pienaar, the mother of the deceased, and victim impact statements of Logan Pienaar and Ruchin Samuels, children of the deceased. In them, they illustrate the profound impact the death of the deceased had on them and the subsequent difficulties they are facing because of the incident. Logan Pienaar elaborated on what he witnessed on the day and informed that the accused asked him not to testify. Ratanjie told the accused during arguments that both children indicate in their VIS that sometimes the pain is so bad that they want to end their own lives. This is a clear indication of the profound impact that the deceased’s death had on your children. A death that you are responsible for.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Nicolette Bell applauded the investigation and prosecution team but decried the level of gender-based violence and femicide in both cases. Adv Bell once again committed the NPA to do all within its powers to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.
Note: The NPA’s media statements are available on the website:
