Cape Town – A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his life partner and attempting to cover up the crime by staging a house robbery and coaching their 11-year-old daughter to lie to police.
Ronnie Roets was sentenced by the Makhanda High Court on Thursday, November 12, 2026, after being found guilty of murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
He received life imprisonment for murder and three years’ imprisonment for attempting to defeat the ends of justice. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the murder occurred on September 23, 2023, at approximately 7pm when Roets returned home and accused his partner of having an affair with a man who had stabbed him the previous week.
He then assaulted her, and when she fell to the floor, he lifted her onto the bed, strangled her and continued assaulting her in the face and upper body until she became unresponsive.
Roets subsequently got into bed beside her.
The following morning, after discovering that his partner was dead, he washed her face and instructed their 11-year-old daughter to tell authorities that intruders had broken into the house and assaulted her mother.
He then alerted the deceased’s family that she was not waking up.
When the family arrived and discovered her lifeless body, police were contacted. Roets allegedly maintained the fabricated house robbery account, which was initially supported by the child.
However, during a subsequent interview with a social worker, the girl revealed what had really happened and disclosed that her father had coached her to lie about the incident.
Following further statements from the child and the social worker, police arrested Roets on April 22, 2026.
During interrogation, he confessed that no robbery had taken place and admitted to assaulting his life partner.
Investigating officers successfully opposed his bail application, ensuring that he remained in custody until the conclusion of the trial.
Sarah Baartman District Commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso welcomed the sentence, commending the investigating officers and social worker for their role in securing justice.
“This harsh sentence sends an unequivocal message that gender-based violence and attempts to manipulate the justice system will be met with the full might of the law,” Kupiso said.
“We applaud the diligence of the investigating officers, Detective Warrant Officer January, Detective Sergeant Arnolds and the critical role played by the social worker in ensuring a vulnerable child’s voice was heard,” she added.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
