Ex-cop sentenced to 25 years for murdering ex-girlfriend

NAMPA

2024-10-03

WINDHOEK, 02 October 2024 - Murder convict Brian Plaatjie. (Photo by: Eba Kandovazu) NAMPA

WINDHOEK, 03 OCT (NAMPA) - A former police detective attached to the Keetmanshoop Gender Based Violence Unit was on Thursday sentenced to an effective 25-year imprisonment for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Sharon Louw.
Brian Plaatjie during the trial admitted to having murdered Louw, the mother of his two children, between 25 and 26 June 2021. A postmortem found that she suffered multiple stab wounds on her chest, neck and arms. Louw had ended their relationship in 2020 and initiated a protection order against Plaatjie.
“That clearly shows that he has no respect for the law and order which he was required to enforce as a police officer,” Presiding Judge Dinah Usiku remarked.
The murder was committed at the deceased’s residence, where she was found with her boyfriend at the time. The latter was also stabbed and injured while attempting to stop Plaatjie from stabbing Louw.
Plaatjie was subsequently charged with murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, breaching a protection order, as well as malicious damage to property. During sentencing, Judge Usiku found that Plaatjie was not remorseful for his actions as he only apologised to the deceased’s family during the trial. She ruled that the apology was not genuine and the murder was pre-meditated.
“Murder, the crime for which the accused has been convicted, does not need emphasis of seriousness. The offence was committed in a domestic setting, which in my view is an aggravating factor in itself. The deceased’s three minor children and her parents will not see her again. The deceased’s right to life was violated,” Usiku found.
(NAMPA)
EB/EK/AS

Keetmanshoop

Community

Land reform ministry condemns deputy headman's killing

2026-01-15 13:35:50

Aranos town councilors pay visit to Hardap governor McNab

2026-01-15 13:15:47

Second NAMDIA employee arrested in Diamond heist probe

2026-01-15 12:27:51

Ngoma police open inquest after discovery of lifeless body

2026-01-15 12:08:55

Witbooi calls for unity in developing ||Kharas

2026-01-15 11:28:20

Man dies in Tsumeb fire

2026-01-14 17:07:31

NamPol urges vigilance as schools reopen

2026-01-14 15:53:31

Anti-poaching guards arrested for shooting suspected poacher

2026-01-14 13:57:14

Masake urges Zambezi youth to lead economic transformation

2026-01-13 17:56:08

Man dies in accident in Oshikoto Region

2026-01-13 17:48:35

Man denied bail after alleged theft from Kavango West governor

2026-01-13 15:12:18

Latest NAMPA photos

EPUKIRO, 14 January 2026 - Epukiro Secondary School's staff celebrates the school's achievement in the Grade 12 NSSCAS results. (Photo: Contributed)

NAMPA

WINDHOEK, 14 January 2026 - Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp pictured during the official announcement of the 2025 NSSCO and NSSCAS examination results in Windhoek. (Photo by: Justina Shuumbwa) NAMPA

NAMPA

KATIMA MULILO, 13 January 2026 - Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Ruthy Masake speaking at the first Zambezi regional youth indaba here on Tuesday. She is pictured with acting Regional Governor and Kabbe North Constituency Councillor, Bernard Sisamu. (Photo by: Michael Mutonga Liswaniso) NAMPA

NAMPA

WINDHOEK, 13 January 2026 - Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp pictured with some of the top performing learners in the 2025 national examinations. (Photo by: Molly Weyulu) NAMPA

NAMPA

RUNDU, 12 January 2026 - Andreas Muyongo Mungongi, who made his first appearance in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court on Monday. (Photo by: Sawi Hausiku) NAMPA

NAMPA

SWAKOPMUND, 13 January 2026 - Stakeholders attending the five-day SADC Agricultural Information Management Systems (AIMS) workshop, which is being held under the second phase of the support towards the Operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy in Swakopmund. (Photo by: Isabel Bento) NAMPA

NAMPA

RUNDU, 12 January 2026 - Kavango East Director of Education, Christine Shilima. (Photo by: Sawi Hausiku) NAMPA

NAMPA

SWAKOPMUND, 12 January 2026 - Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp visited several schools in Swakopmund as part of her ministry’s assessment on how schools in Erongo Region were opening and to present the 2025 national examination results to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. (Photo by: Isabel Bento) NAMPA

NAMPA