Cape Town – A Ceres man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend inside the vineyards.
Jannie Oerson, who had a protection order against him by his girlfriend, Janune Kayster, 23, was sentenced at the Ceres Regional Court this week.
The State said that Kayster’s murder was a reflection of the gender-based violence deaths that have swept across the country.
The couple had been in a four-year relationship, which was riddled with domestic violence.
On the day of the murder in November 2022, Oerson and Kayster were involved in an argument after leaving a social gathering and were walking through the vineyards of Lakensvlei Farm in Ceres when he began beating her using a stick.
State prosecutor Chante Kim Trezires said Kayster suffered various injuries, including to her mouth, and had been left at the scene by Oerson, who believed she was still alive.
Trezires said that when Oerson arrived home, he had informed a witness that he had left her in the vineyards after beating her. Police later discovered Kayster’s body in the vineyards.
Eric Ntabazalila of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that the sentence imposed reflected the severity of the crime.
“The court declared his circumstances did not outweigh the seriousness of the crime and society’s interest and it could not deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment,” he said.
“The court heard that Oerson and Janine Kayster (23 at the time of her murder) were in a four-year relationship characterised by domestic violence which took place even a week before he killed her.”
During the aggravation of sentence, Trezires handed in two Victim Impact Statements from the deceased’s mother and sister, which revealed Kayster had a protection order against Oerson which she withdrew in 2021 because she was terrified of him.
The court heard details of the history of domestic violence in the relationship, including how they (the family) witnessed Oerson physically abusing Kayster on four occasions up until a week before he murdered her.
Ntabazalila said that they (the family) described him as a possessive boyfriend who did not want her to spend time with her family and said that he had threatened to kill her.
Trezires also submitted Oerson’s previous conviction record, which revealed a 2016 conviction for assault. She argued that not a day went by where a woman was not killed by her partner.
Ntabazalila further stressed that Kayster had her whole life ahead of her and died a ruthless and painful death at the hands of the person who was supposed to love and protect her.
“The court agreed with the State, described the murder as monstrous, and declared that the personal circumstances of Oerson did not outweigh the seriousness of the crime and society’s interest, to deviate from the minimum sentence of life imprisonment,” he said.
Ntabazalila said the NPA applauded the investigation and prosecution team as it continues its efforts to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide and welcomes the sentence.