Murderers jailed for 30 years
TWO WOMEN accused of killing a Lenasia pharmacy student have been found guilty of murder in the high court sitting in Palm Ridge on Friday and jailed for an effective 30 years.
Alexis Mare, 32, and Sharon du Preez, 45, were charged with the March 2016 murder of Jaishika Amtha, robbery and the illegal possession of a firearm.
They received 20 years for murder, 10 for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five for illegal possession of a firearm and an additional three years for illegal possession of ammunition.
Some of the sentences will run concurrently, meaning they will serve an effective 30 years in jail.
Mare and Du Preez said they had assisted Amtha, 23, to commit suicide as she had been suffering from cancer and did not want her family to find out.
The court heard that Amtha had met the accused through the global online marketplace OLX, where she had posted a few items for sale.
According to reports, they had tricked Amtha into opening the door for them.
Her mother, Pravina, found her body after returning home from the temple. Amtha had been bound, gagged and shot twice in the head.
A month after her death, members of the provincial task team, comprising Warrant Officers Rajan Govender, Rajen Nagessar and Pravad Maharaj, arrested the accused.
Family spokesperson Dharmesh Kanti said they were happy with the sentence, however, every day was a struggle for Amtha’s parents, Dinesh and Pravina Amtha.
“Daily, her mother has to walk past the room where she found her only child dead. This ordeal has not been easy on her parents. We have been at every court case waiting for justice.”
He said Amtha was one of the top 10 students in her class at university and was given a bursary to complete her Master’s degree.
“The only thing helping us through this ordeal are her memories.”