Agric boss 'remorseless killer'

2008-05-12 19:13

Pretoria - A director in the agriculture department has been sent to jail for 15 years by Pretoria High Court for beating his wife to death.

Acting Judge Tholi Vilakazi said there was no mitigation to justify a lesser sentence for David Linley Sonkosi, 43, who brutally killed his wife in May 2005 because he suspected her of infidelity.

Sonkosi's wife, Port Elizabeth teacher Pumla Mkatali, died in her house in Centurion as a result of injuries she sustained when her husband attacked her.

Sonkosi repeatedly banged his wife's head and body against the floor before beating her with a thick leather belt while threatening to hit her until she died.

Afterwards, he laughed and repeatedly asked if he had really killed her.

Sonkosi said he lost his temper when his wife refused to give him her cellphone and tell him who had sent her a text message, but he denied that he had intended to kill her.

Should set good example

Only after being questioned at length by the prosecutor did he reluctantly express remorse about what he did.

Judge Vilakazi said it was quite clear that Sonkosi still did not admit that the injuries he inflicted on his wife had caused her death, which negated any expression of remorse.

The judge said Sonkosi, who had an honours degree in agriculture and several post-graduate diplomas, was "by no means an ordinary person".

He held a high post in government and was expected to lead by example and show good-quality leadership.

The exchange of marriage vows did not mean that a man became the master of a woman.

Men did not have the ultimate right of power over their wives and did not have the right to check their movements and pry into their phone messages.

The judge said Sonkosi had reacted "neurotically" when he became uncertain about his wife's fidelity, and had unleashed his anger on her with tragic consequences.

In the process he had deprived his two young children of the love and comfort of their mother forever.

"I cannot fathom that while he was assaulting his wife, he never thought of his children and what would happen to them," said Judge Vilakazi.

Sonkosi had not only brutally beaten his wife, but also shown complete indifference about her injuries.

- SAPA