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

Head-on collision near Omuthiya claims one life

2026-01-12 10:31:47

Onelago headman laid to rest at Onamutene village

2026-01-11 08:52:58

Two die in accident in Kavango West Region

2026-01-11 08:51:36

Minor arrested for allegedly killing two people in Gobabis

2026-01-10 13:58:19

||Kharas youth urged to drive economic growth via NYDF

2026-01-10 11:56:16

Former Katima CEO laid to rest

2026-01-09 11:35:03

Nguvauva burial set for Toromoja

2026-01-09 09:17:29

Kathindi reflects on 2025 achievements and challenges

2026-01-08 14:12:12

Kavango West Land Board tackles 43 Illegal fencing cases in 2025

2026-01-08 14:09:46

Traditional leaders condemn land dispute shooting incident

2026-01-08 14:06:24

Zambezi Regional Council suspends CRO

2026-01-07 18:28:44

Latest NAMPA photos

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

SWAKOPMUND, 12 January 2026 - Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp photographed with some school board members at the Westside High School during her visit to the school 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

KATIMA MULILO, 10 January 2026 - Zambezi Regional Football Association Chairperson, Ngwama Vuyalo (C) pictured with his two executive committee members on Saturday. (Photo BY: Michael Mutonga Liswaniso) NAMPA

NAMPA

ONELAGO, 10 JANUARY 2026 - The headman of Onelago village, Sam Nepando, was laid to rest at Onamutene on Saturday. (Photo: Contributed)

NAMPA

GOBABIS, 09 January 2026 - A 13-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with an attack that left two people dead and one injured at Gobabis in the Omaheke Region on Friday. (Photo: Contributed)

NAMPA

KEETMANSHOOP, 09 January 2026 - The ||Kharas Governor’s Youth Desk hosted an awareness session on the youth development fund at the Keetmanshoop Multi-Purpose Youth Centre on Friday. (Photo: Contributed)

NAMPA

KEETMANSHOOP, 09 January 2026 - Chairperson of the ||Kharas Regional Council, Gerrit Witbooi, speaks during the National Youth Development Fund (NYDF) awareness session on Friday. (Photo: Contributed)

NAMPA

GROOTFONTEIN, 08 January 2026 - A team of community health workers at Grootfontein discussed the Cholera disease outbreak with community members in the Kap en Bou informal area. (Photo by: Mulisa Simiyasa) NAMPA

NAMPA