Man gets 38 years for burning lover to death
A 41-year-old man who recently admitted that he murdered his girlfriend in an arson attack about five years ago has been slapped with a 38-year jail term by the Windhoek High Court.
Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday sentenced Plesie /Gowaseb for the murder of Petrina /Goagoses, saying his action was irrational and unjustified.
“The offences of murder and arson are serious, premeditated and prevalent. Hence the objectives of punishment which are retribution and deterrence must be emphasised,” Liebenberg said.
He sentenced /Gowaseb to 34 years imprisonment for murder of the 32-year-old /Goagoses read in conjunction with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act and eight years imprisonment for arson.
The judge ordered the four years for arson to run concurrently with the 34-year sentence for murder, meaning the accused will spend 38 years in jail.
He admitted he committed the offences during the night of 13 and 14 October 2012 when he set alight the house in which /Goagoses was.
She succumbed to her injuries in a local hospital a week later.
The couple had three children.
/Gowaseb earlier told the court during the day of 13 October he approached the victim in order to rekindle their relationship.
However, he claimed, /Goagoses reacted by insulting him and told him to leave.
This angered him and during the night when everyone was asleep, he returned and locked the door from outside with a padlock after he had gained access to the house through an open window.
He then doused the victim's room with paraffin he had found inside the house before setting it alight.
The accused later managed to escape through the open window.
Although the victim also managed to escape from the burning room, she had already suffered severe burns.
“She died a week later in hospital as a result of burnt wounds,” Liebenberg said.
/Gowaseb said he was consumed by anger and was unable to control himself and that he regretted committing the heinous crimes.
Liebenberg emphasised that the accused had pleaded guilty to the offences and has shown sincere remorse and that the circumstances justify a significant reduction in sentence.
The circumstances of the accused, gravity of the offences he was found guilty of, the legitimate interest of society, and emphasis on the specific and general deterrence, the judge said he found the sentences imposed as appropriate.
FRED GOEIEMAN
Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday sentenced Plesie /Gowaseb for the murder of Petrina /Goagoses, saying his action was irrational and unjustified.
“The offences of murder and arson are serious, premeditated and prevalent. Hence the objectives of punishment which are retribution and deterrence must be emphasised,” Liebenberg said.
He sentenced /Gowaseb to 34 years imprisonment for murder of the 32-year-old /Goagoses read in conjunction with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act and eight years imprisonment for arson.
The judge ordered the four years for arson to run concurrently with the 34-year sentence for murder, meaning the accused will spend 38 years in jail.
He admitted he committed the offences during the night of 13 and 14 October 2012 when he set alight the house in which /Goagoses was.
She succumbed to her injuries in a local hospital a week later.
The couple had three children.
/Gowaseb earlier told the court during the day of 13 October he approached the victim in order to rekindle their relationship.
However, he claimed, /Goagoses reacted by insulting him and told him to leave.
This angered him and during the night when everyone was asleep, he returned and locked the door from outside with a padlock after he had gained access to the house through an open window.
He then doused the victim's room with paraffin he had found inside the house before setting it alight.
The accused later managed to escape through the open window.
Although the victim also managed to escape from the burning room, she had already suffered severe burns.
“She died a week later in hospital as a result of burnt wounds,” Liebenberg said.
/Gowaseb said he was consumed by anger and was unable to control himself and that he regretted committing the heinous crimes.
Liebenberg emphasised that the accused had pleaded guilty to the offences and has shown sincere remorse and that the circumstances justify a significant reduction in sentence.
The circumstances of the accused, gravity of the offences he was found guilty of, the legitimate interest of society, and emphasis on the specific and general deterrence, the judge said he found the sentences imposed as appropriate.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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