Rapper Pitch Black Afro has been released from prison. Picture: @Emkay_Afrika/Twitter
Pitch Black Afro is a free man after being released from jail last Friday.
“The department can confirm that [he] was released as his sentence expired on 18 August 2023. He benefited from the special remission of sentence,” Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo told The Citizen.
Nxumalo confirmed that the rapper was sentenced to 10 years in prison, of which five were suspended, with effect from 19 June 2020, for the death of his fiancé.
The rapper was found guilty of culpable homicide by Judge J Du Plessis. He was initially charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.
While delivering his judgment in 2020 after hearing arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentence from both legal representatives, Du Plessis said the rapper was not remorseful for his negligence, though he had not intentionally killed his fiancé Catherine Modisane.
“The accused still denies the specific details of what happened on that day despite him apologising to the deceased’s family. So in this case that doesn’t help him because I don’t see remorse on his side,” the judge said.
Pitch Black spent less than three years in prison, as he had already spent one year and five months in custody while awaiting trial.
“He benefited from the special remission of sentence.
“There are no conditions as his sentence has expired,” said Nxumalo.
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Judge Du Plessis said he had considered the fact that Pitch Black Afro, who still had a good relationship with his fiancé’s family, had contributed money towards the funeral of his deceased partner.
The state prosecutor Patience Moleko argued that the rapper be given five years direct imprisonment, saying that the court could not ignore the fact that there was a loss of human life.
The prosecutor also asked the court to declare the rapper unfit to possess a firearm licence.
Pitch Black Afro’s lawyer Riaan Greyling conceded that his client might have negligently caused his fiance’s death, but said the deceased was the one who initiated the argument by accusing the rapper of cheating on her with numerous women.
He said the deceased slapped the rapper, provoking his client to react violently against her.
Considering both representations, the judge said there was no evidence that the accused had an abusive relationship with the deceased and that the incident which led to the death of his fiance was a once-off thing.
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