Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - A 33-year-old man, Jakob Ratel, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court of South Africa, Northern Cape Division, in Kimberley, after being found guilty of m8rdering his girlfriend, Renée Lachporia., 43.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on
Wednesday, October 16, said that Ratel was also convicted on three counts of
assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH) and sentenced to 3 years of
imprisonment for each count.
The incident occurred on 15 May 2021, when Ratel and
Lachporia, who were in a relationship and living together in Delportshoop, were
at a local shebeen when an argument broke out over financial matters. After
leaving the shebeen, they proceeded to Ratel's sister’s house, accompanied by
another girlfriend of the accused, where the argument escalated into physical
violence. Ratel’s sister eventually ordered them to leave after he began to
assault Lachporia.
Approximately two hours later, Ratel returned to his
sister’s home and confessed to her that he had kicked and trampled on
Lachporia’s head, indicating the severity of his actions.
Following this disturbing conversation, he visited his
mother to inform her that he had k!lled Lachporia. His mother noticed that
Ratel's shoes were bloodied, prompting her to contact his sister to check on
the victim.
Unfortunately, after several attempts to reach Lachporia
went unanswered, her body was discovered two days later, covered with a blanket
in her home. The police were called to the scene, and she was pronounced dead
shortly thereafter. Ratel was arrested for the murder of Lachporia.
Despite his trial, Ratel pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The state successfully presented evidence to have both his mother and sister
declared hostile witnesses after they denied earlier statements made regarding
the incident.
During sentencing, Senior State Advocate Anel Stellenberg
argued vehemently that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances
that would justify deviating from the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
She emphasized that Ratel showed no remorse for his actions,
claiming self-defence while admitting to killing the victim. The state
highlighted Ratel's dangerousness and the necessity to remove him from society.
In support of the prosecution's case, the prosecutor
submitted a Victim Impact Statement that illustrated the profound grief
experienced by Lachporia's family, particularly her two children, who are now
without their mother due to Ratel's senseless actions.
In her ruling, the Honourable presiding Judge stated that
the court must uphold its constitutional mandate to address murders arising
from domestic relationships and to protect the constitutional rights of
victims.
The judge imposed a life sentence for the murder charge and
an additional 3-year sentence for the three counts of assault, all to run
concurrently with the life sentence.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes this
ruling, reinforcing its resolve to combat domestic violence and ensure that
individuals who commit such heinous crimes face severe consequences. The NPA
remains committed to pursuing justice for victims of crime and advocating for
harsher sentences for perpetrators.
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