Angelique Fourie was with a male neighbour in her house when Watson arrived, forcefully entered and assaulted them before stabbing Angelique.
PROVINCIAL commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the life imprisonment of 33-year-old Christopher “Stoffie” Graham Watson for the murder of Angelique Fourie, 27, the mother of his child.
The High Court in Mpumalanga, sitting in Delmas, this week convicted and sentenced Watson, from Secunda, to life imprisonment and a further three years in jail for the brutal murder of Fourie.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mpumalanga regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa, Watson pleaded guilty to the heinous crime and was sentenced to life imprisonment for premeditated murder.
Commenting on the court ruling, the SAPS in Mpumalanga, expressed hope that the lengthy sentence would deter would-be offenders.
“The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the sentence with the hope that it will serve as a deterrence to others who might consider emulating the actions of the accused. General (Manamela) has also vehemently condemned gender-based violence in the society,” said Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
Fourie was murdered inside her home in Trichardt, near Secunda on November 7, last year.
“It was revealed in court that the victim (Fourie) was with her neighbour when Watson forcefully entered her house and started assaulting both of them physically. The neighbour managed to flee, but Fourie was overpowered and fatally stabbed in the neck by Watson,” Mdhluli said.
After killing Fourie, the court heard that Watson set the house on fire and fled the scene with their 3-year-old child. He left the dead woman’s body in the house.
“On the police and other stakeholders’ arrival, the fire was extinguished then Fourie’s body was retrieved. However, the paramedics unfortunately certified her dead on the scene,” Mdhluli said.
A case of murder, with an additional charge of assault, was registered by the police.
Two days later, Watson handed himself to the police.
“He had his court appearances whilst in custody till he was handed a life imprisonment for murder as well as three years imprisonment for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” Mdhluli said.
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