Pretoria - A former VIP Protection Unit officer at Mahlambandlovu presidential residence in Pretoria got more than he bargained for when he appealed his 30-year jail sentence.
He had been sentenced in 2015 after shooting and killing his wife and daughter at their Pretoria West home.
During the appeal process, Benedict Peloeole discovered that the sentence had been replaced with a life behind bars. He had turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal following his conviction and sentence earlier by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria.
He argued that 30 years’ imprisonment was shockingly inappropriate and extremely harsh. The National Prosecuting Authority in turn cross-appealed and argued that he deserved life in jail – a sentiment shared by the Supreme Court this week.
He was convicted in 2018 for the double murder after he shot his wife Jane Keitumetse Peloeole, 42, while she was frying onions to make his dinner. He then turned his service pistol on his daughter, Tsholofelo Trecia Peloeole, 23. According to witnesses, Peloeole did not say a word as he gunned down the two women.
During sentencing, the high court found that the murders were premeditated, but that there were substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a deviation from the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
He was sentenced to 20 years on each charge, but the court at the time ordered that he served an effective 30 years in jail. This meant that he could have been eligible for parole after serving about 15 years in jail.
Now, however, having a life sentence, he will have to serve at least 25 years before he is considered for parole.
Witnesses told the high court earlier that Peloeole was out earlier in the evening with family members, where they drank some alcohol. When they got back, he asked his wife if there was any food, and she replied there was only bread. She volunteered to cook the liver which he had brought home.
He asked his daughter if there was a problem as she did not speak. After washing his hands, he went down the corridor in the direction of his bedroom. Another family member said he suddenly heard a firearm being cocked.
He saw the accused with a firearm and the next moment he fired a shot at his daughter, who was watching television. His wife shouted at him and he simply fired at her where she was standing in front of the stove. He then fired another shot at his daughter. Neighbours ran to the house where they discovered the gruesome scene.
Peloeole claimed that he could not remember anything about the incident and argued that the high court was wrong when it found that the murders were premeditated.
But the Supreme Court found that it was indeed premeditated and that Peloeole had plenty of time to reflect on what he was doing.
The court said when his wife shouted at him “what are you doing?” after he shot his daughter the first time, he could have reflected.
Pretoria News