The ex-boyfriend of slain Angela Marinus will serve life imprisonment for the murder of the young Montevideo mother and the attempted murder of their daughter who was shot in the foot during a domestic dispute.

Wayne Lawrence this week heard his fate in the Western Cape High Court after he was convicted in June last year on nine of the 12 counts he faced. The charges included assault, pointing a firearm, murder, attempted murder, reckless endangerment to a person, and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

Marinus, 38, was shot at close range in her chin while trying to get out of her vehicle in the driveway of her parents’ residence in Bishop Lavis on December 11, 2017.

Lawrence was sentenced to 71 years behind bars.

Throughout the trial, Lawrence denied that he was responsible for the death of Marinus and the shot which caused a bullet to lodge in the foot of his daughter during the incident.

Lawrence - who was the lawful owner of two firearms at the time of the incident and who admitted that he sneaked into the yard where Marinus and their daughter were residing at the time - denied that he planned to murder Marinus despite being armed with one of his firearms, a Glock.

He also denied that he abused and assaulted Marinus during their 22-year common-law relationship.

It was Lawrence’s version to the court that Marinus regularly abused him and had physical relationships with other men and at the time of the incident was involved in a relationship with her co-worker.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the State will “continue doing its best in dealing with gender-based violence and femicide”.

“(Marinus) obtained an interim protection order against the accused on 19 October 2017 for her safety and that of her daughter. On 28 November 2017, the accused and the deceased attended the return date on the interim protection order at the Bishop Lavis Magistrate's Court. The accused contravened the interim protection order on various occasions with his abusive behaviour. At the time, he legally owned two firearms and was also a member of a shooting club.

“In October 2017, the deceased and her daughter moved out of the couple’s house in Montana and moved in with her parents in Montevideo. The court also heard that the deceased started an affair with a colleague after ending her relationship with the accused. The State alleged that the accused struggled to accept that the deceased ended their relationship, moved out of their home, moved on, and started a new relationship.

“This led to constant harassment of the deceased, physical and verbal abuse and he begged her to return…Given the domestic violence relationship between the accused and the deceased, the explanation of why she did not report the abuse to the police is highly probable. The evidence of (their daughter) against the accused was damning,” said Ntabazalila.

During conviction last year, Judge De Wet said: “All crime has harsh effects on society. What distinguishes domestic violence is its hidden, repetitive character and its immeasurable ripple effects on society and, in particular, on family life. It cuts across class, race, culture, and geography, and is all the more pernicious because it is so often hidden and so frequently goes unpunished.”

Ilitha Labantu, anti-GBV organisation spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakale, said the sentencing sent a strong message and stronger measures need to be implemented to safeguard survivors of domestic violence.

“Despite the deceased obtaining an interim protection order, Lawrence repeatedly violated it, highlighting the urgent need for stronger enforcement of protective measures for survivors of domestic violence.

“While we commend the justice system for holding Lawrence accountable, this case underscores the continued failures in protecting women and children from domestic violence. Angela Marinus had taken legal steps to ensure her safety, yet she remained vulnerable to her abuser. Ilitha Labantu calls for more proactive interventions, improved law enforcement response to protection order violations, and enhanced support systems for survivors of GBV.”

chevon.booysen@inl.co.za