Home News Bicycle chain killer gets 17 years

Bicycle chain killer gets 17 years

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The SAPS management has welcomed the 17 years direct imprisonment sentence that was handed down by the Northern Cape High Court to Anthony Harris Samson, 28, for the murder of his partner.

Anthony Harris Samson, 28, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for murder. Picture: Supplied

A 28-YEAR-old man, Anthony Harris Samson, was sentenced to 17 years’ direct imprisonment by the Northern Cape High Court for beating his partner to death with a bicycle chain.

Samson, who was out on parole at the time, brutally killed his 27-year-old life partner, Natasha Goeieman, on April 6 this year in Strydenburg by assaulting her with his fists, a bicycle chain and a spade.

The horrific incident happened after the couple, who have two children together, went on a drinking spree and ended up in an argument.

Goeieman died on the scene and Samson fled. He was arrested three days later by the police, with the assistance of the community.

The case was referred to the Northern Cape High Court after the community expressed outrage and threatened to march to the local magistrate’s court.

Samson pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced on November 15.

While passing sentence, Judge Louise Lever expressed his satisfaction that Samson had pleaded guilty, based on the background facts.

Lever elaborated on how Samson had first started hitting Goeieman with his fists before assaulting her with a bicycle chain.

“When he realised that the deceased was not responding, he left her lying there. On his return, he found her still unresponsive and he went to fetch her sister, who confirmed that she was not breathing,” said Lever.

He noted that the post-mortem results had confirmed that Goeieman died from serious injuries sustained during the assault.

Lever said the fact that Samson had pleaded guilty is an indication that he is remorseful.

The court had heard that Samson had previous convictions related to assault, kidnapping and rape, which he had admitted to.

Samson had also admitted to the court that his assault on Goeieman was “violent and unacceptable”.

Lever noted that the sentence also had to be in the interest of the public after the incident sparked outrage among the small community of Strydenburg.

He added that the community depended on the judicial system to bring justice to the family.

Lever, however, said it would be unfair for the State to challenge Samson’s circumstances of growing up in poverty.

He elaborated on how Samson had dropped out of school and had to work on the farms in order to provide food for his single mother and sibling.

He said that Samson’s two children with Goeieman were being taken care of by his mother.

Lever said the sentence will allow Samson to participate in rehabilitation programmes.

The family of the deceased were, however, not happy with the sentence and said that 17 years’ imprisonment was “not enough for the trauma” they had suffered.

Goeieman’s sister, Doortjie Kasper, could not even testify in court as she broke down again in court on Tuesday.

The chairperson of Youth Against Crime, Jacobus April, meanwhile applauded the investigating officer for “a job well done”.

“We as a community want to say ‘thank you’ to the SAPS and Warrant Officer Ramy Naude,” said April.

“Let this be an example that there is no place for murder and killings in our community. We are brothers and sisters amongst each other, we should respect that and join hands with the SAPS to curb gender-based violence.

“There is no place for GBV in our midst or in our country.”

The district commissioner of Pixley ka Seme, Major-General Nomana Adonis, also commended Naude and Constable Ingrid Lephoi for their “meticulous investigation of the case”.

“This sentence will relay a stern message that no impunity will be granted to perpetrators of GBVF, as this remains one of the priorities of the South African Police Service,” said Adonis.

The sister of the deceased, Doortjie Kasper, said the sentence was too light.
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