Aldean Wilkinson, 31 was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Northern Cape High Court for the murder of his girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time.
ALDEAN Wilkinson, 31 was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Northern Cape High Court for the murder of his girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time.
An altercation took place between Wilkinson and his girlfriend, Danelle van der Linde, 29, at her sister’s house in Florianville, where she was staying, on May 15. Van der Linde was stabbed to death and Wilkinson fled the scene, but later handed himself over to the police.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Wilkinson was sentenced on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to killing Van der Linde, who was also the mother of his two children.
“On May 15, the police were called to the home of the deceased and upon arrival found her with stab wounds. The accused was arrested on May 16 after he handed himself over to the police. The prosecution and the SAPS successfully opposed bail in the Kimberley District Court on June 13,” said Senokoatsane.
He added that the police had reservations about the court granting the accused bail, as they were concerned that he would interfere with witnesses, as some were known to him.
“The prosecutor opposed bail, given the seriousness of the charges and believed that it was in the best interest of justice not to grant him bail. The matter was transferred to the Northern Cape High Court on August 29.”
Senokoatsane said that during sentencing, the acting Northern Cape High Court judge indicated that while the prescribed sentence for murder was 15 years, the court believed that 20 years of direct imprisonment was in the best interest of justice.
“The court told the accused that it was his responsibility to protect his pregnant girlfriend and the mother of his two children, which he failed to do. The deceased was killed in a place where she was supposed to feel safe, while her children will now have to be raised by other family members.”
He added that Wilkinson was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“He will commence his sentence immediately.”
The Kimberley SAPS station commander, Brigadier Nicky Mtongana, welcomed the sentence and applauded Detective Constable Jon-Ross Webb from the Kimberley Serious and Violent Crimes unit for his “meticulous investigation”.
Mtongana reiterated that gender-based violence and femicide remained a priority for the SAPS and called upon communities to speak out against these criminal acts.
