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DOUBLE murder accused Christoffel Samuel Irion, 32, who was convicted of killing his brother and girlfriend’s father, was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by the Northern Cape High Court sitting in Upington.
He was found guilty of assault and two murders.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the accused became involved in an argument with his brother, Jacques Jacobus Irion, at their parental home on November 2, 2019.
“Samuel took a knife and stabbed his brother in the back when Jacques refused to remove his shoes. The brother ran out of the house to seek help. A neighbour who tried to intervene was also stabbed in the head by Samuel. Jacques died on the scene and the accused was arrested. Samuel was incarcerated for 11 months until the matter was struck off the roll due to incomplete investigations.”
Senokoatsane stated that Samuel became embroiled in an argument with his girlfriend’s father, Jacob van Wyk, on February 27, 2021, when he visited his girlfriend.
“He instructed his girlfriend to accompany him and she refused. Samuel and his girlfriend’s father started to argue when Van Wyk tried to defend his daughter. During this disagreement, Samuel took a knife and stabbed Van Wyk who died on the scene. The police were called and he was arrested.”
Senokoatsane added that State advocate Sue-Ann Weyers-Gericke argued that the accused should be given a maximum sentence due to the serious nature of the offences.
“She pointed out that the accused killed two people and injured another. He killed his brother for a pair of shoes and killed a father who was trying to defend his daughter. He did not only show a lack of remorse but lacked empathy. He killed two innocent people, without taking into consideration the consequences of his actions.”
He indicated that Samuel was sentenced to 15 years for murder, five years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and life imprisonment for the second murder.
“The NPA envisages that these sentences will bring closure to the families of the victims, who lost their loved ones so mercilessly at the hands of someone that they trusted,” Senokoatsane said.