A Bronkhorstspruit gardener, who viciously raped a young Pretoria mother before strangling her with wire, was sentenced on Tuesday to life imprisonment.High Court Judge Lettie Malopa sentenced Mpiya Richard Rammutla, 32, to life and a total of 35 years imprisonment for raping, robbing and murdering Elize Havenga near her home in Rietgat, east of Pretoria, on February 2 last year.
Havenga was on foot on a lonely dirt road near her house after a severe argument with her husband, Jan Hendrik.
Her brother had earlier fetched her, but dropped her off again when she told him she wanted to walk home.
Her husband reported her missing when she did not return home. Her half naked body was discovered in dense bushes less than a kilometre from her home.
Rammutla, who was traced through Havenga's cellphone, was later linked to her rape through DNA evidence.
Rammutla told the court he was sorry for what he did, but had not meant to kill his victim and did not know what went on in his mind that made him do what he did.
He admitted that his deeds had been "revolting, despicable and gruesome".
His victim's husband was very bitter, as the personnel agency which he and his wife operated became insolvent after her death and his two-year-old daughter, who now lived with his elderly parents, would never know her mother.
Judge Malopa described the manner in which Rammutla had raped and sodomised his victim as "horrible" and one of the most gruesome rapes possible.
She said the murder was "most atrocious" and heinous.
"We've heard the evidence of Mr Havenga. Basically they were still on their honeymoon. They had been married less than three years."
"You've deprived him of the compassion, love and warmth of his wife. You've robbed a young girl of her mother. This child will grow up never knowing what the love of a real mother is.
"You've robbed the community of a valuable member, a person who was prepared to help the needy and the poor," the judge said.
Source : Sapa /str/ks
Date : 24 Mar 2009 18:35
