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Roland Routh
WINDHOEK – Windhoek Supreme Court Judge Alfred Siboleka on Friday sentenced 24-year-old Charles Michael Swartz to 20 years in prison for killing his girlfriend pregnant 15 years in 2012.
He was accused of killing his girlfriend, Sara van der Westhuizen, a minor, who was then pregnant with her child, on October 3, 2012 in Mariental by stabbing her seven times with a knife. [19659003] The judge found Swartz guilty of murder with intent, an assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a threat of aggression on June 7 of this year. He was also sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault and six months of threat aggression
. These convictions, however, were ordered at the same time as the 20-year sentence. This means that Swartz will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of the 20-year sentence if he behaves well while incarcerated.
Judge Siboleka noted that he took into account Swartz's youth and the time he was already in detention – six years – when he decided on punishment. The judge also reported that Swartz feels "very guilty" of the death of the deceased. "He was still very young when he took the life of the deceased," Judge Siboleka said, adding that the family of the deceased had accepted Swartz's apology for his heinous act
. is excused and asked for forgiveness, and they accepted and forgave him.He was very young at the time.That is why he apologizes to the court.He has no previous conviction. "
Although there are extenuating circumstances, the imposition of a long sentence of imprisonment is inevitable, given the nature of the crime, observed the judge He said that the attack on the deceased was brutal and persistent as evidenced by the number of stab wounds, namely seven. Judge Siboleka added that before the attack to the death, Swartz assaulted the deceased with a steel wire and kicked her in the stomach. "It happened when she was already in einte of the child of the accused, "said the judge. He went on to say that he was out of jealousy because he suspected that his mother intended to give it to another man. According to Judge Siboleka, the day she was murdered, the deceased ran to her home to avoid further stabbing, but that did not help because Swartz followed her and l & rsquo; Stabbed several times in the back. "Inside the house, the deceased tried to shelter behind his grandmother, but the accused was not discouraged, he warned the lady old to stay out of the attack otherwise he will stab her too, "said Judge Siboleka. Mbanga Siyomunji on the instructions of the legal aid and the state attorney Dominic Lisulo prosecuted.
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