By line: Kelebogile Masemola
16 February 2022
On 11 February 2022, the eMalahleni Regional court convicted and sentenced Kholofelo Nonyane (37) to ten years of direct imprisonment for the attempted murder of his 21-year-old girlfriend.
Nonyane had a heated argument with his girlfriend in December 2019 at Coronation where they were residing.
The accused poured paraffin on the victim while she was asleep.
In a locked room, he set her alight and fled the scene. The victim sustained injuries on her body.
The accused was later found in his hide-out in Shatale Bushbuckridge, where he was arrested.
Nonyane pleaded not guilty in court, and the state-led evidence of three state witnesses including the evidence of the victim who testified from what she experienced on the day of the incident.
The landlord who heard the victim screaming and saw how badly burned she was, also testified.
Their evidence collaborated with the testimony of the doctor who treated the victim when she arrived in hospital.
State Prosecutor Maureen Nkosi, emphasized to the court that this is a perfect example of gender-based violence, arguing for the court to impose a suitable sentence.
The court sentenced Nonyane to ten years of direct imprisonment and was declared unfit to possess a firearm as part of the sentence.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) strongly condemns violence against women and children and applauds all stakeholders involved to secure maximum sentence and justice for the victim.
