Case against man accused of murdering Siphokazi Booi, finally heads to trial

The man accused of murdering Siphokazi Booi, will finally go to trial, nearly two years after she was killed and dumped at a dump site in Paarl.

PHOTO SUPPLIED: Siphokazi Booi

Sithobele Qebe appeared in the Paarl Regional Court, on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to murder, defeating the ends of justice, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, the desecration of a corpse and failure to comply with bail conditions.

Qebe was first charged for assaulting Booi in August 2021 and was released on bail. He allegedly assaulted her again in September, so severely that she died.

The State alleges that he put her body in a bin and pushed her to a dump site.

The prosecution on Thursday did not accept Qebe’s plea on the murder charge, and said it will pursue a life sentence during the trial which was set for 13, 14 and 17 May 2024.

Lobby group, Action Society welcomed the decision to head to trial.

“He has a clear history of violence. He ignored a protection order, his violence escalated to murder and then even further when he desecrated and disposed of her body. He treated her in death like he treated her in life – as rubbish. It is time to expose him for the monster he is. Justice will not be served until somebody throws away the key after his sentence,’’ said Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm.

‘’For Siphokazi’s family, it was very understandably a very emotional day. They have been waiting for more than two years for Siphokazi’s case to be heard. Listening to the detailed description of his version of the events, was sickening. It is going to get even worse before justice will be served. We will continue to support them,’’ she added.

 

Done by: Mitchum George