Breaking News Update

GEORGE NEWS - After three weeks on trial, Rodney Witbooi (36) was sentenced to life imprisonment in the George Circuit High Court earlier this morning, Monday 10 November, for murdering his wife, Soneé, by hacking her to death with a panga in 2022.

He was also handed 15 years for a charge of attempted rape, 15 years for attempted murder, three months for drug-related charges and seven years for housebreaking to commit a crime. 

All these sentences will run concurrently with the one of life.

During sentencing, Judge André le Grange said he couldn’t find any substantial or compelling evidence to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life on the charge of murder. 

He described Witbooi’s actions as brutal and hammered on the fact that gender-based violence and femicide are plaguing South Africa.

Soneé had sustained 13 panga wounds to her head.

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