The Durban High Court has sentenced a 34-year-old man to life and 18 years’ imprisonment for the assault, intimidation, and murder of his pregnant partner, as well as the assault of her minor son.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in KZN, said the man lived together with the woman and her children in the Marianhill area.

She said their relationship was volatile as he often physically and verbally abused her and her son who was eight years old at the time.

Ramkisson-Kara explained that on one occasion, the man assaulted the woman by stabbing her in her leg with a knife. She said he also intimidated her by telling her that he would kill and assault her and her children.

During this time, Ramkisson-Kara said, he would also bang the child’s head against a wall and kick him in the stomach.

“Then in November 2021, the man assaulted the woman again – she was 24 weeks pregnant. He punched her several times, kicked her and sat on her stomach.

“He thereafter poured paraffin on her and set her alight. This was done in the presence of her son who was also assaulted.”

Ramkisson-Kara said the man fled the scene and was arrested after police traced his whereabouts.

She said the woman sustained burn wounds to her head, torso and lower limbs.

“She was taken to the hospital where she miscarried her unborn foetus and she subsequently died because of her injuries.”

Court case and sentencing

In the state’s case, Ramkisson-Kara said senior state advocate Nadira Moosa led the eye-witness testimony of the child, who had seen the murder and the previous assaults on his mother.

The state had applied for him to testify through an intermediary and closed-circuit TV system.

Further evidence was from the pathologist who testified to the serious nature of the injuries and the extent of the burns. The state also told the court that the woman had obtained an interim protection order against him.

“Advocate Moosa also submitted a victim impact statement compiled by the boy and facilitated by court preparation office Prudence Geraud. In his statement, the boy said that he is sad, suffers from anger issues and is easily agitated.

“He said that he is not able to deal with the loss of his mother and doesn’t trust anyone.”

Ramkisson-Kara said the man was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for the assault of the woman and incidents before the murder, three years’ imprisonment for intimidation, 10 years’ imprisonment for the assault of a minor and life imprisonment for murder. His effective sentence is life imprisonment.

“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the finalisation of this matter. Curbing the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide remains a priority of the organisation. We commend the work done by the prosecution and other partners,” said Ramkisson-Kara.