A man who brutally murdered his 17-year-old girlfriend earlier this year has been sentenced to 30 years’ direct imprisonment by the Vryheid Regional Court.

Guilty plea leads to conviction

Asanda Fakude was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday), after pleading guilty to the murder of the teenager, whose body was found on a farm at Gegund within the Vryheid policing precinct.

According to police, Fakude had invited the victim to spend Valentine’s Day with him, but she did not meet him as planned. Two days later, on February 16, he confronted the teenager.

Body hidden after assault

The confrontation turned violent, with Fakude repeatedly assaulting the girl until she died from her injuries. He then concealed her body in nearby bushes.

Confession leads police to the scene

The case took a dramatic turn on February 18 when Fakude contacted the Paulpietersburg SAPS Detective Commander and confessed to the murder.

Police arrested him immediately, after which he led investigators to the place where he had hidden the victim’s body during a formal pointing-out.

Fakude was subsequently charged with murder and remained in custody while the case proceeded through the courts.

Thirty-year prison sentence

Following his guilty plea, the Vryheid Regional Court convicted him of murder and sentenced him to 30 years’ direct imprisonment.

The sentence brings to a close another tragic case of violence against a young woman in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.