Heinous, callous and brutal.
This is what a judge remarked as he handed a life sentence to a 22-year-old killer named Tinashe Siyanota from Pretoria who murdered his former employer, who was a gay man.
On Tuesday, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria handed Tinashe Siyanota the maximum sentence for the 2021 murder of Christopher Pirrie, whom he stabbed more than 10 times in his neck.
The killer was also sentenced to 15 years for robbery after stealing Pirrie’s vehicle, which led police to him.
Pirrie’s family members were too distraught to attend any of the proceedings, a source close to the investigation told Newsembassy on Tuesday.
According to the indictment, the vehicle was found by police at a shopping centre while in the possession of Siyanota’s friend.
The friend, who was a state witness, then helped police to track down Siyanota.
He was linked to Pirrie’s murder through confessions he made to some of his friends, who were all state witnesses in the trial.
Siyanota told the court that Pirrie had made advances to him and would touch him inappropriately, which he didn’t appreciate.
Judge Papi Mosopa said the murder appeared to be a hate crime.
Mosopa said:
The judge also remarked that Siyanota used to work for Pirrie and they remained friends even after he stopped working for Pirrie.
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The accused claimed Pirrie dismissed him because he was jealous of his girlfriend – the couple are now estranged.
“The murder was brutal and savage. Not only was the security of the deceased’s home breached and his trust betrayed, but he was also subjected to what appears to be a painful, undignified death: the brazen manner and the brutality of the acts by the accused that remain in the memory.
“The deceased had a right to human dignity and a right to life. The accused abruptly terminated the deceased’s right to life in a heinous, callous and brutal manner. The deceased’s right to dignity was also taken away when he was left half naked, lying face down in his own home,” Mosopa said.
The judge said on the night Pirrie was killed, there were no squabbles or fights between the two of them.
Pirrie had bought a large quantity of beers for the two of them and had offered his killer food before Siyanota murdered him.
Mosopa said the amount of blood spattered on the wall, couches and floor showed how brazen the murder was.
“It is noteworthy to appreciate that most of the stab wounds sustained by the deceased are centred around his neck. In addition, the deceased was assaulted with hands, probably fists,” Mosopa said.
The judge said the court could not deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence as Siyanota refused to accept responsibility for killing Pirrie. Siyanota also said he could not apologise because, according to him, Pirrie was responsible for his own death.
Mosopa said:
The judge also mentioned that Siyanota had a supportive family, and his parents attended all his trial proceedings. His mother also testified in his defence.
Mosopa said he doubted Siyanota could be a candidate for rehabilitation, as he was arrested for unlawful possession of ammunition while waiting for his case to be concluded.
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