Longer sentencing needed for Monique Martin Killers

By Mishkah Anthony
11 August 2008


Today the Mayor of Cape Town Helen Zille has written to the Western Cape’s Director of Prosecutions, Advocate Rodney De Kock, requesting that he lodge an appeal against the merciful sentences handed down to the killers of 19 year-old Monique Martin.

The Mayor says Cape Town is experiencing a sharp increase in violent crimes and murders linked to drug abuse. She feels the justice system needs to deal harshly with the perpetrators of these crimes, and send out a clear warning that drugs will be an aggravating circumstance and not a mitigating one.

The judgement was handed down by Judge Patricia Goliath on 7 August 2008.Myron Daniels and Ashley Lategan were found guilty of killing Monique by dousing her with petrol and setting her alight. Ashwin Hammers, who was a minor at the time of the attack, was convicted of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm. All three accused had previous convictions.

Daniels and Lategan received a 24- year sentence with the possibility of early parole with good behaviour. While Hammer received a sentence of 18 months in a correctional youth centre. Given his previous convictions and the evidence led in this case.

In her letter to Advocate De Kock the Mayor said the crime was a brutal, shocking attack and a 24- year sentence for Daniels and Lategan seems lenient because they could qualify for parole much earlier. The Judge reportedly considered their drug-taking to be a mitigating factor.

The Mayor goes on to saying “Substance abuse should not be an extenuating circumstance in this instance. In fact, drug abuse should be regarded as an aggravating circumstance to send a clear message to people who wish to use this excuse.’

Mayor Zille also said a message must be sent to criminals that they will be severely punished for violent crime, and a message must go to victims that sentences will be appropriate to the crime.