Attacker burned victim to destroy evidence
A Brakpan man was sentenced to life in prison after he severely assaulted a man and set him alight while he was still alive.
|||Pretoria - “I cannot leave evidence lying around,” a killer said after he severely assaulted a man and set him alight while he was still alive.
Sentencing Brakpan resident Sheldon “Chicco” Abrahams to life imprisonment, Judge Selby Baqwa of the high court in Pretoria said this was a “spine-chilling” killing.
The deceased Jerry Martin Smith was on his knees when Abrahams necklaced him.
Abrahams was convicted on an array of charges, including murder and attempted murder.
It is not known what sparked the killing, as Abrahams denied any knowledge of the incident.
Judge Baqwa said this was one of the most senseless killings he had ever dealt with as a judge.
It emerged that Abrahams, Smith and another friend, Geronovin Buitendacht, were partying on the evening of June 26, 2011 at Geluksdal, near Brakpan.
During a quarrel, Abrahams assaulted Smith. As Buitendacht tried to come to his friend’s assistance, Abrahams took out a gun and fired at him.
Smith ran away but Abrahams returned to the party and forced Buitendacht to drive him around, so that he could look for Smith. They found him and Abrahams dragged him to the car.
He forced Buitendacht to drive to a dump nearby, where he severely assaulted Smith. The latter, who remained in the car, said he saw flames.
They left the scene and Smith’s body was recovered later that day.
Judge Baqwa said this display of violence was uncalled for and unprovoked. Not even Buitendacht could give a reason for it.
Abrahams swore he didn't abuse substances despite the fact that his defence argued the crimes were committed in a “drug-and-alcohol-infused environment”.
Judge Baqwa could not find any mitigating circumstances to warrant a lesser sentence than life imprisonment.
Pretoria News