It will be life behind bars for the man who killed a Gqeberha physiotherapist on 9 August and pleaded guilty in the Eastern Cape High Court last week after a plea deal with the state.
Simxolele Zitshu admitted to stabbing Marolien Schmidt several times. He was sentenced to life in prison for murder, eight years for housebreaking with the intent to steal, and 20 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The sentences will run concurrently, which means he will spend the rest of his life in prison, reports News24.
Zitshu admitted to stealing and selling Schmidt’s phone – which was worth R20 000 – for just R600.
“…you took a precious life in such a gruesome manner for only R600, which you could have got elsewhere?” Judge Mandela Makaula said.
He was arrested the same night when he went for a walk because he was “worried about what happened”.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Man in custody for murder of Gqeberha physiotherapist
Gqeberha physiotherapist stabbed to death