Girl who witnessed her dad murder her mom tells him: ‘you’re no longer my father’
A 40-year-old man who bludgeoned to death the mother of his child in Dichoeung village in Marble Hall has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the high court in Limpopo.
Ronny Maredi’s daughter, who was four at the time of the attack, testified against him during his trial, said the National Prosecuting Authority in Limpopo.
“During the trial, the court heard that the accused and the deceased were in a love relationship and living together. However, the relationship was toxic and on January 18 2021, in the early hours of the morning, the accused assaulted the deceased, Ellaine Thato Madihlaba, aged 31, and their four-year-old child with an object unknown to the state,” said NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi.
The child, now six, testified about what unfolded that day.
“The child told the court that the accused assaulted her mother several times and that he is no longer her father because he killed her [mother],” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
Also crucial to the state’s case was testimony from Madihlaba’s uncle, who lived in the same house as the couple. He testified how he overheard them arguing that night.
“[He] testified that he heard the deceased asking the accused why he was assaulting her. She died later from the injuries inflicted on her,” said Malabi-Dzhangi. “He further told the court that the accused asked him to lie about the death of his niece to the police.”
The court showed little mercy and handed Maredi a life sentence for murder and an additional seven years for defeating the ends of justice.
“In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Lerato Mohlaka referred to the victim impact statement facilitated by the court preparation officer Morongwe Moifo. The state said the accused committed a serious offence already had a protection order opened against him by the deceased,” said Malabi Dzhangi.
“She further said that the court should know that the child was denied an opportunity to be raised by her biological mother, because of the accused. She concluded by saying that the accused showed no remorse throughout the trial and the family never received an apology.”
When delivering judgment, judge Sharon Mthimkulu remarked that the violence between men and women was endemic in South Africa and that courts must protect women — a difficult task.
The NPA welcomed the verdict.
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