Loud cheers were heard at the Western Cape High Court on Monday as convicted killer Wayne Lawrence received an accumulative sentence of 71 years for the murder of his former girlfriend, Angela Marinus.
After nearly eight years, the man who was also convicted for the attempted murder of his own teen daughter in the horrific shooting as he shot and killed her mother right in front of her.
Addressing the court yesterday, Judge Alma de Wet recounted the chilling details of the years of abuse suffered by Angela in the 19-year relationship, which started when she was also just a teen.
Lawrence has been on trial for the shooting which led to the death of the 36-year-old mom who was killed outside her home in Nevada Street in December 2017.
Angela was shot in her head and neck and one of the bullets ricocheted off her and hit her 16-year-old daughter, who was with her in the car, in the foot.
During the trial Lawrence pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him, which included assault, kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, domestic violence and charges under the Firearms Control Act.
According to court documents, Lawrence submitted a plea statement where he confirmed that he was in a common law relationship since and they had one daughter who was 16 years old at the time of her mother’s death.
Lawrence told the court that he legally possessed two firearms and was a member of a shooting club.
He claimed that during their relationship, Marinus abused him and allegedly had physical relations with other men and further claimed at the time of her death she was in a relationship with a coworker.
Recounting the evidence before the court during her judgment last year De Wet read out details of messages sent to the couple’s daughter after the murder as well as messages detailing horrific abuse Angela had suffered as Lawrence continually begged her to reunite after she had ended the relationship.
Evidence before the court also showed that an armed Lawrence had even pitched up at the Mitchells Plain home of Angela’s new boyfriend who testified that he agreed to end the relationship to "pacify" Lawrence.
During the sentencing yesterday, De Wet said an analysis of the reasons listed by Lawrence for a reduced sentence revealed no compelling reasons to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentences.
She highlighted the victim impact assessment by the couple's daughter which said she feared her father as De Wet described Lawrence as a danger to any future relationship.
She sentenced him to life in prison for the murder of Angela and 15 years for the attempted murder of his daughter.
Lawrence was also sentenced to 25 years for various violations of the Domestice Violence Act and the Firearms Control Act and a further six years for assault and defeating the ends of justice.
As the sentences will run concurrently, he will serve an effective 25 years in the mang.
