Nosicelo Mtebeni (23) was a University of Fort Hare student that was murdered by her boyfriend, Alutha Pasile, in August. On Thursday, Pasile has been sentenced to 25 years for murder and 10 years for defeating the ends of justice. However, Mtebeni’s family is not happy with this “lenient” sentence.
Judge Beshe made the final call
Pasile’s lawyer, Ncumisa Dyantyi, had pushed for 20 years in prison. She based her argument on the fact that Pasile was a first time offender, that he had no intention of killing Mtebeni and he had shown remorse.
And on the other side, state prosecutor, Nicki Turner, asked for life imprisonment. This argument was based on the fact that the “circumstances of the offence were aggravated and that the murder was premeditated“.
However, Judge Thami Beshe has come to her decision in the East London High Court and stated that the sentences will run concurrently. And when handing down the judgement, Judge Beste said that Pasile had “ample opportunity to reconsider his actions, but went ahead“.
Beshe also added that she did not believe that Paslile was truly remorseful, but instead he “wanted to save his own skin as soon as he was found out“.
And as the murder of Mtebeni took place during Woman’s Month, Judge Beshe said, “Statistics pertaining to gender-based violence, alluded to by Ms Turner, are alarming. One is left wondering what it will take for the message that women and other vulnerable members of our community are entitled, and have a right, to live and be respected”.
Mtebeni’s father shares his disappointment over the sentence
When the sentence was announced, Mtebeni’s father, Kholisile, who have not been dealing well with the loss of his daughter, shared his thoughts on the “lenient sentence”.
“I am not happy at all about this lenient sentence. It is disappointing, considering the brutality and gruesomeness of this crime. A man went to buy drugs in order to carry out this heinous crime. The law ran its course, but I am not happy. He is going to come out and possibly repeat the same offence.”
Mtebeni’s corpse was dismembered
The court also found out that Mtebeni’s body was dismembered in order to conceal her identity and was also drenched in bleach.
During an interview with Pasile, a social worker got him to admit that he removed Mtebeni’s hand and head “because he did not want her to be identified”.
These body parts were found in a black bag by detectives in Pasile’s room while the rest of her body was found stuffed in a suitcase. The suitcase was left on a street corner of Fleet Street and Fitzpatrick Road in Quigney early on 19 August.
And while the social worker was on the witness stand, they told the court that Pasile admitted buying the bleach in order to get rid of the odour.