Smit gets life for teen's 'cruel' murder

Daniel Smit was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Western Cape High Court, sitting in Vredendal, yesterday for the murder of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk in Klawer in February 2022.

- Faizel Patel

Judge Hayley Slingers also imposed sentences of 15 years for attempted murder, 10 years for kidnapping, five years for violating a corpse and three years for defeating the ends of justice on the 58-year-old Smit.

"This murder was horrific. It was executed with shocking brutality and cruelty against a defenceless, sickly person. The appellant's brazenness went beyond the commission of the crime."

"After considering the accused, the crime and the interests of society, together with the objectives of punishment, I have not been convinced that there are compelling and substantial reasons to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence."