Loerie Park panga murder: Husband guilty

Update

GEORGE NEWS - After changing his initial plea from not guilty to guilty in the final days of his murder trial, Rodney Witbooi (34) was found guilty on seven charges in the George Circuit High Court on Tuesday 4 November.

Two of the charges stem from a 2020 incident at a nightclub in Pacaltsdorp, where Witbooi attacked, assaulted and attempted to rape a woman.

The remaining charges relate to the events leading up to and the night on which he brutally hacked his wife, Soneé Witbooi (28), to death with a panga.

In all, in addition to pleading guilty to murder and two charges of possession of drugs and assault, Judge André le Grange also found Witbooi guilty on charges of housebreaking, attempted rape and attempted murder.

Though Soneé had sustained 13 panga wounds to her head, Witbooi told the court he had not meant to kill her. Le Grange disagreed, stating that Witbooi's decision to disobey a restraining order, arm himself with a panga and go to his wife's home showed clear intent to kill.

The court also found that his attack on Soneé's sister demonstrated deliberate and violent intent.

The incident

The court heard that on the night of 21 December 2022, Witbooi arrived at the Loerie Park home where Soneé lived with her sister, Chandré le Roux, their mother, Charmaine le Roux, and some other relatives.

He had been drinking with friends and was angry after being told by his mother-in-law to divorce Soneé.

When he reached the house, armed with the panga, a new one he claimed to have bought for self-defence, he entered through a window. He confronted his wife, her sister and her fiancé, shouting obscenities.

The court heard that while she and her sister were in an argument with Witbooi, Soneé fell to the ground and was struck repeatedly as she tried to shield herself. She sustained 20 wounds in total, including 13 to her head and face.

Witbooi was out on bail at the time for an attempted sexual offence charge from 2020 and under correctional supervision to remain at the same address.