Mom of two jailed for the murder of her boss

THE Pietermaritzburg High Court has sentenced Jade Ashley Barnard, 36, to an effective 22 years’ imprisonment, after she pleaded guilty to the murder of her boss, Vernon Wilton Viviers, 59, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Kara reported.

The mother of two, became an accomplice to Viviers’s murder after she handed her boyfriend a knife that he used to stab, and then slit the throat of her employer.

Viviers was found dead at his shop, Tasty Takeaway, in the Prestbury area of Pietermaritzburg, on August 8.

Her boyfriend Martin Grieb, 41, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in October after he also pleaded guilty to killing Viviers.

It is reported that Barnard worked as a cleaner at Viviers’s takeaway shop.

Last month, Grieb pleaded guilty to killing Viviers over an argument for R50 advance pay.

Grieb said he and Barnard arrived at the shop on the morning of August 8 and asked Viviers for money. When he refused a scuffle ensued and he stabbed him.

In her testimony, Barnard corroborated her boyfriend’s version of events, admitting that she acted in common purpose with Grieb in the murder.

In her section 105A plea and sentence agreement, handed to court by attorney Bongani Mbatha, Barnard said soon after arriving at the shop Grieb asked Viviers for R50. When he refused to pay it angered Grieb. An argument ensued between the two, culminating in a physical fight.

“Grieb overpowered Viviers, threw him on the shop floor and sat on top of him,” Barnard said.

Her boyfriend sat on the deceased and asked her to pass him a knife, which she did, she said. “Grieb then stabbed and cut the deceased’s throat with a knife, killing him instantly.”

She said he tried to clean the blood but was disturbed by a private security officer.

Grieb admitted to killing Viviers in an argument “that went too far”.

Barnard said she and Grieb tried to flee into nearby bushes, but were soon arrested and charged for the murder.

She told the court that she was truly remorseful for her actions.

The court heard that Barnard has two children, 12 and 9 years old, and has no previous convictions.

In a victim impact statement handed to the court, the victim’s daughter, Storm Jessica Viviers, described the devastation her family endured.

She said she had recently become engaged and her father was robbed of walking her down the aisle.

In another femicide case, the NPA reported that the Durban Regional Court last week sentenced Selso Mugwambe, 41, to an effective 15 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend Delfina Machava, 38, in January, 2021 in Cato Manor.

Mugwambe and Machava were in a relationship and lived together. Machava was last seen alive on January 7, 2021 in the company of Mugwambe.

The following morning their landlady saw Mugwambe leaving their house with a bag.

A few days later, she noticed a stench emanating from their house. Even though the door was locked, hundreds of flies were buzzing around.

She alerted police who broke down the door, and found Machava’s decomposing body. It was clear that Machava had suffered severe head trauma.

The landlady told police that Mugwambe was the last person seen leaving the residence.

A search for him ensued and he was arrested nearly a month later. His version of the story was that he had left Machava at their house with a man to whom she owed a lot of money.

Regional Court prosecutor Gayle Greyling led evidence of the landlady, Machava’s close friend, and the police.

Machava’s close friend testified that the couple had an acrimonious relationship and that she had been called to intervene on several occasions.

The court sentenced Mugwambe to the minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.