A 49-year-old Northern Cape man was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Kuruman Regional Court for the attempted murder of his girlfriend, whom he stabbed multiple times.
AN ACCUSED, Tebogo Ben Gill, 49, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Kuruman Regional Court for the attempted murder of his girlfriend, whom he stabbed multiple times.
The incident took place at their home in Magobing village, near Kuruman, on June 26, 2023.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said that Gill came home to find his girlfriend preparing food.
“After leaving the house, he returned to demand that she sleep with him. An argument erupted when she informed him that she was busy with laundry. In a desperate attempt to escape, the complainant tripped and fell, at which point Gill attacked her with a knife, stabbing her in the upper body and legs.”
He added that she managed to survive the life-threatening injuries and promptly reported the assault to the police, leading to Gill’s arrest.
“He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder but later admitted to stabbing the victim. He claimed that he acted in self-defence after disarming her of the knife during an altercation. He confessed that the confrontation escalated verbally and that he was intoxicated at the time.”
Senokoatsane said the State prosecutor, Kekeletso Lekota, argued against a lenient sentence due to the seriousness of the offence.
“She emphasised that the depth and number of the stab wounds indicated an intent to cause significant harm rather than it being an act of self-defence. The prosecution rejected the defence’s request for a 12-year sentence, branding it grossly disproportionate given societal concerns regarding similar violent offences.”
He said the court recognised the substantial and compelling circumstances that warranted a deviation from a life sentence and decided on handing down a 15-year term of direct imprisonment.
Additionally, the court declared Gill unfit to possess a firearm.
“The NPA commends the dedicated efforts of the prosecuting team that ensured that justice was served for this brutal crime. The NPA emphasises its commitment to addressing issues of gender-based violence and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions,” Senokoatsane concluded.
