Doreen Mokgolo
If Brian Somfaka was released from jail, said the women picketing outside court, they would take the law into their own hands.
And it looked like they meant it – so much so that murder accused Somfaka rescinded his bail application on Wednesday at the Nigel Magistrates Court.
Somfaka allegedly killed his girlfriend after accusing her of cheating and saying she was pregnant.
Resident Nonhlahla Masuku said they were tired of women being abused and killed by the men they trusted with their lives.
Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature Ntombi Mekgwe, addressing the crowd outside court, said Somfaka deserves to be locked away.
“His own family is scared of him. He is known for stealing valuables from his own home and selling them, and he was on parole for assaulting his ex-girlfriend,” she said.
“Killing Samantha shows that he is not rehabilitated or deserves to be in society.”
She urged victims of abuse who open cases with the police that they must not withdraw them after a few days.
The suspect’s aunt, Daisy Beya, said Somfaka’s two children have lost both parents because of his jealous rage.
“We couldn’t attend Samantha’s funeral because the family chased us away,” she said.
She said if the court can prove that he killed her then he must be sentenced accordingly.
The deceased’s mother, Margaret Zungu, said that she is relieved that the suspect didn’t get bail.
“It would have been unfair for him to be roaming the streets while my daughter is dead and the grandchildren are orphans,” she said.
“He has been abusing her for years and we feared for her life but he always managed to convince her to go back to him.”
The case has been postponed to 30 September for further investigation.
