Free State inmate given 2 life terms for killing correctional officer, raping another

Image: ANA file image.

He was already serving two life sentences for murder, rape and assault.

An inmate at Goedemoed Correctional Centre in the Free State was sentenced to two life terms for murdering a correctional officer and raping another, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has said.

Madala Jongikhaya Sam-Sam, 37, was sentenced by the Free State High Court on Thursday, NPA regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said in a statement.

Sam-Sam was also given an extra five years for kidnapping. He was already serving two life sentences for murder, rape and assault.

According to Shuping, in a plea that was read out in court by his counsel, Sam-Sam said while he was busy with his cleaning job on March 29 2019 “he called a male officer on the pretext that there was a fight in one of the cells”.

The officer left him with the two female warders and went to investigate. Sam-Sam locked the steel door of the office with a padlock and barricaded the door with two tables.

“He was now alone in that section of the building with the two female hostages,” Shuping said, adding he then attacked Nomsa Stuurman, 35, with a hammer.

“Correctional officers arrived and tried to persuade him to stop. The officers could not gain entry because he had barricaded the doors.

“He continued with his attack on the deceased and eventually left her lifeless body in the hallway. He attacked her with a hammer and stabbed her to death with a scissor.”

Shuping said the inmate took the second warder to one of the offices, closed the door and threatened her with death before raping her.

He later surrendered to the authorities.