JudgeJudi
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I don't think it was premediated, his clumsy cover up speaks to that.
Susan Galloway, the Prosecutor, is asking for 25 years. In South Africa, if it's "vanilla" (simple) murder, the sentence is 15 years, possibly less if it's a first offence and/or there were mitigating circumstances. If it's premeditated or aggravated, the minimum sentence is 25 years before being eligible to apply for parole.
Galloway was also the prosecutor in Henri van Breda's trial which a number of us here followed. As I also followed the Oscar Pistorius' trial and two others, I'm very familiar with SA law now.
All murderers lie in court, so nothing new there. Being clumsy doesn't enter into it at all - some people are just stupid and/or careless. I agree, he should have just ended the marriage, just the same as Chris Watts should have before he murdered his pregnant wife and two toddlers. We'll have to wait and see what he says.
ETA. Galloway wouldn't be asking for 25 years if she didn't think it was premeditated.