Ex-cop to be sentenced over partner’s murder

An ex-police officer who murdered his former domestic partner in a knife attack at Keetmanshoop is due to be sentenced in the Windhoek High Court in October.

Morgan Plaatjie (46) will be sentenced on 3 October, judge Dinnah Usiku said after hearing closing arguments from state advocate Anna Amukugo and defence lawyer Boris Isaacks at the end of a presentence hearing yesterday.

Isaacks argued that a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the murder charge to which Plaatjie admitted guilt in April would be appropriate.

Amukugo suggested that Plaatjie should be sentenced to an effective prison term of 38 years.

Plaatjie admitted that he murdered his former romantic partner Yvette Louw (38) at her home at Keetmanshoop during the night of 25 to 26 June 2021, by stabbing her repeatedly with a knife.

He also admitted that a domestic violence protection order issued against him in August 2020, after Louw applied for the order, was still in force when he carried out the fatal attack on her.

Plaatjie was a warrant officer attached to the Namibian Police’s unit for the investigation of gender-based violence cases at Keetmanshoop before he was arrested in connection with Louw’s death.

Louw was employed at the Keetmanshoop Municipality before her death.

Plaatjie admitted guilt on charges of murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, contravening a domestic violence protection order and malicious damage to property when his trial began in April.

He denied guilt on a second charge of contravening a domestic violence protection order and a count of assault by threat. After hearing testimony on those charges, Usiku convicted him on those two counts as well.

Plaatjie said in a plea statement given to the court that he stabbed Louw “out of anger, hurt and resentment” after he was told she had started a relationship with another man who was the real father of Plaatjie’s daughter with Louw.

Isaacks argued that Plaatjie showed remorse about the crimes he committed and that the murder was not premeditated, but was committed on the spur of the moment.

Amukugo argued that Plaatjie is not someone who should be kept in society if he can get angry to such an extent that he kills someone who was also the mother of his two children.

Plaatjie has been held in custody since his arrest in June 2021.