Gardner gets 30 years imprisonment for strangling boss lady to death
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The family of a 62 years old Sharon-Lee Deetlefs from Prestbury area of Pietermaritzburg have accepted the sentencing of a 30 years old man who strangled her to death in her home.
The 35 years old Zimbabwean national Douglas Mataula had been working for the old lady as a gardener for a while at the time when he committed the crime.
He also confessed in court and pleaded guilty to all charges brought against him.
NPA Spokesperson in the area Natasha Kara said that Mataula confessed in court that he needed money to send to his family back in Zimbabwe, grandmother and child on December 5th 2021 but didn’t have any. He then decided to steal the old lady’s TV which he sold for R 500.
“Then, on 12 December 2021, he realised that he needed money to spend during the festive season and again went to Deetlefs’ house. She was not at home and he broke in but was only able to access one room. He stole towels and bedding which he sold for R600.”
“On 30 December 2021, he went to Deetlefs’ house to ask her for taxi money. He waited for her and decided to break in when she didn’t arrive. He was in the house when she got home, so he hid but she saw him and screamed. He tried to quieten her by squeezing her neck but when he realised that she was still conscious, he strangled her to death.”
Kara added that Mataula fled the scene after committing the crime with having stolen Deetlefs’ money, cellphone, shoes among other items.
He was arrested on 03 January 2022, while he was working in the Hilton area.
Making his final appearance at Pietermaritzburg High Court, the court heard victim’s statement from the daughter who said she could not believe her mother died a horrible death. She trusted and helped many people and couldn’t believe that she was killed by one of the people she trusted.
Mataula was sentenced to five years imprisonment for each count of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, 25 years imprisonment for murder and 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The sentences for the housebreaking will run concurrently with each other, while the murder and robbery charges will run concurrently; resulting in the effective 30 years imprisonment.
