Murdered at home: Victoria West man gets 25 years for stabbing girlfriend to death

A VICTORIA West man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, in a case that has once again highlighted the devastating impact of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in the Northern Cape.

Jan Jonkers, 37, was convicted in the Victoria West Regional Court recently for the murder of 31-year-old Charlene Tieties, whom he attacked during the early hours of January 30 this year.

According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock, the incident took place shortly after midnight at the couple’s home, where Jonkers violently assaulted and stabbed Tieties with a knife.

Despite being rushed to the hospital, Tieties succumbed to her injuries about an hour later.

Jonkers fled the scene but was arrested later the same day. His bail application was denied and he remained behind bars until the conclusion of his trial on July 31.

The sentence of 25 years’ direct imprisonment was welcomed as a decisive outcome in a province where GBVF continues to devastate families and communities.

The district commissioner of Pixley ka Seme, Major-General Nomana Mtukushe, praised the swift and professional work of Detective Sergeant Basil Abrahams from the Victoria West Detectives, as well as prosecutor Caswell Joseph, whose efforts were instrumental in securing the conviction and “firm sentence”.