The victim made a quick stop at the house of an alleged drug dealer, where the attacker demanded R1.
Picture: iStock
The Port Nolloth Regional Court has sentenced 34-year-old Luciano Donn, widely known as “Skarrel,” to 12 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of 56-year-old Vivian van Wyk.
Prosecutors secured the conviction after showing how a simple refusal to hand over a single rand triggered a deadly sequence of events.
The court also declared Donn unfit to possess a firearm following his conviction.
Alleged drug deal gone wrong
The fatal encounter unfolded on 28 March 2025 in the Lydia Links Road area of Port Nolloth, Northern Cape.
Van Wyk and a friend were walking to visit a relative when they made a quick stop at the house of an alleged local drug dealer.
Moments after the transaction finished at the alleged dealer’s residence, Donn approached the duo and initially asked Van Wyk for a cigarette. When Van Wyk replied that he did not smoke, Donn demanded a single rand.
Van Wyk explained that he had just spent his last coin on drugs. Donn pulled out a knife and plunged it into Van Wyk.
He then snatched the newly bought drugs directly from the friend’s hands and fled into the night, leaving Van Wyk bleeding on the dirt. Van Wyk later died from his injuries at Martha Griffiths Hospital.
Donn’s alibi rejected by court
Police tracked Donn down and arrested him at a friend’s house later that night. He remained behind bars after choosing to drop his bail application.
When the trial began on 25 March 2026, regional court prosecutor Basil Kock led the state’s case while Donn pleaded not guilty, claiming he was somewhere else when the attack happened.
The court weighed eyewitness testimony against Donn’s story. The judge and court officials rejected his alibi, calling the state’s case credible and labelling Donn’s defence false.
The court formally convicted him of murder, setting the stage for a heated sentencing battle over prescribed minimum prison terms.
Under South African law, a murder conviction typically carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Donn’s defence lawyer urged the court to lower the sentence, pointing out that Donn had previously done odd jobs for a local prophet, accepted the verdict, and spent time in holding cells awaiting trial.
The defence added that Donn wanted to ask the Van Wyk family for forgiveness.
NPA fights back against soft sentence
Prosecutor Basil Kock strongly opposed any light sentence, arguing that the killer showed zero genuine remorse during the trial. Kock pointed out that Donn actively tried to mislead the court by attacking the credibility of truthful witnesses, only expressing regret after the judge delivered a guilty verdict.
“The murder was a serious and senseless crime driven by greed for drugs, and a sentence reflecting the gravity of the offence is required,” argued Prosecutor Basil Kock.
Kock also told the court that Donn’s time in holding cells should not count as a special circumstance because Donn willingly gave up his chance to apply for bail. The prosecution emphasised that violent, drug-fueled attacks continue to tear small communities apart and require firm judicial action.
Justice served
The court ruled that while the law prescribes a 15-year baseline, enough compelling factors existed to lower the punishment slightly to 12 years of direct imprisonment. State officials welcomed the outcome, saying it brings crucial accountability to the victim’s grieving relatives.
“While no sentence can restore the life lost, the successful prosecution ensures accountability and provides a measure of justice for the victim’s family,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane.
