THE Port Shepstone Regional Court has sentenced Aphiwe Deyi (33) to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman (52) in 2022.

Deyi was also sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for raping the victim.

He was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

In June 2022, the body of the woman was found with multiple stab wounds. Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman was raped before being murdered.

The suspect was linked to the case through DNA evidence and he was arrested while already in custody for another unrelated matter.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, NPA regional spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, said that the NPA has welcomed the sentence and hopes it will send a strong message to would-be offenders and those who disregard the sanctity of human life and bodily integrity.

-Supplied