The man waited until the next morning before telling a neighbour half-truths about his partner's death.
An Eastern Cape man who brutally murdered his partner during a lover’s quarrel has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
In a challenging trial that had no direct eyewitnesses, the High Court in Gqeberha found Luvuyo Leonard guilty of killing Ntombikayise Dayisi in 2024.
A tragic end to a day in Women’s Month
The murder occurred at the couple’s home in the KwaMashu Informal Settlement, Kariega (formerly Uitenhage), on 16 August, after an argument broke out while they were drinking alcohol together.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Leonard then assaulted Dayisi with a plank before stabbing her several times with a knife.
The 47-year-old waited until the morning to tell a neighbour, but not the full truth.
“The following morning, Leonard went to a neighbour and claimed that his girlfriend wasn’t waking up. The neighbour accompanied him to the shack, where they found Dayisi lying on the floor with visible injuries and blood splattered across the room,” Tyali said in a statement on Friday.
“Upon learning of the incident, community members assaulted Leonard before alerting the police, who arrested him the same day.”
Prosecution secures conviction
In court, Leonard pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
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Tyali said senior state advocate Sivuyile McKay called five witnesses during the trial.
Although the absence of direct eyewitnesses made the trial challenging, the prosecution successfully proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Advocate McKay argued that the couple had been in a domestic relationship and that life imprisonment was prescribed by law for such cases.
“He emphasised that the crime occurred during Women’s Month, highlighting the persistent scourge of domestic violence in South Africa.”
He said the court found no compelling reason to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence and the urgent need to combat gender-based violence.
In addition to life behind bars, Leonard was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
‘GBV will not be tolerated’
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo welcomed the court’s ruling.
“This sentence sends a strong message that acts of gender-based violence will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will be held fully accountable,” Madolo said.
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