Rustenburg - A state patient was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for the attempted murder of his sister.
The Springbok Regional Court also found Devon Owies, 32, guilty of using his sister’s car without consent.
Owies, who was a state patient at Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital, attacked his sister on January 6 in 2022, while he was out on a pass of leave from the psychiatric hospital.
"The accused was admitted as a state patient after he brutally murdered a nurse in Upington.
“At the time of the (latest) incident, the accused was out on a pass of leave from the psychiatric hospital, and he was staying with his sister," National Prosecution Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Northern Cape division, Mojalefa Senokoatsane said.
"This was also not the first time that the accused was on a such pass of leave. The accused’s sister had taken responsibility for the accused as she was the one who signed for his leave," Senokoatsane said.
Following the attack, Owies was arrested and sent back to the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital, for observation, he was found fit to stand his trial.
"On September 15, 2022, the accused pleaded guilty to both charges. The matter was then postponed for a probation officer's report as well as a victim impact report for sentencing.
“The accused was sentenced to 14 years of direct imprisonment for attempted murder and four years imprisonment for the use of a motor vehicle without consent. The court also ordered that the sentences run concurrently," Senokoatsane said.
IOL