Relatives of murdered Clanwilliam teacher Allison Plaatjies said they hoped the sentencing of her killer would finally bring them some closure.
The 26-year-old woman was found dead in her flat in October 2019, and her loved ones were still struggling to come to terms with her brutal death.
She was choked, stabbed, bitten in the face, and her throat was slit.
Plaatjies’ ex-boyfriend Phillip April was sentenced in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday to life behind bars for premeditated murder, and five years for stealing the deceased’s car.
Her cousin Lizel Plaatjies said the past three years had been difficult.
“The last year she was at university, she stayed with me and now there’s no one singing in the bathroom anymore, or someone shouting ‘is there no coffee in this house’,” she said.
“I know it’s not going to bring her back, but it’s like a weight has been lifted. I am sick and tired of being sad, so hopefully, this will help.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence.
“You’ll remember that the accused pleaded guilty to murder where he watered down what he did and we rejected that because we were convinced that this was a premeditated murder committed by someone who was possessive, jealous, who wanted nothing else but to own his woman and could not accept the rejection,” said NPA Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
-EWN
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