A 15-year-old boy will spend 10 years behind bars after killing a 14-year-old girl who refused to kiss him.

The boy, whose name cannot be revealed by law as he is a minor, shot and killed Naeema Marshall when she was visiting her aunt in Kleinvlei, Western Cape, on July 17, 2023.

According to police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday sentenced the boy to 10 years for murder, three years for the illegal possession of a firearm and one year for the illegal possession of ammunition.

Twigg’s statement adds that the sentences will run concurrently. The killer will thus spend 10 years behind bars.

The Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 states that children 14–16 years old can only be imprisoned in limited circumstances. This case proved to be one of them.

“The case was assigned to Provincial Organised Crime and Anti-Gang Unit detectives who built a strong case by collecting evidence and witness statements to present before court. The accused was found guilty on November 28, 2024, for the charges that were brought before court,” says Twigg.

The killer was in custody for the duration of the trial.

“The Western Cape police management lauded the investigation team and the prosecutor on a job well done,” concludes Twigg.