Samsam, who is an inmate at the Goedemoed Medium Correctional Services, appeared in the Free State High Court and was convicted for murder, rape and kidnapping. Judge President, Cagney Musi, said the court needed to send a strong message by removing Samsam from society permanently.

In the beginning of the two-leg trial on Tuesday, Samsam implicated a suspended official for allegedly coercing him to commit the crimes. In his statement, he further alleges that the official brought him shoes while in prison as a bribe and also promised him R100 000 to kill three officials who he was not on good terms with.

The court heard how Samsam, who has been in jail since 2000 after being arrested at the age of 18 years, stabbed Stuurman in the neck, and refused to let the officials or negotiators inside the office to attend to her. He also held her pregnant colleague hostage. He released them after four hours of intense negotiations.

OFM News previously reported that the woman was since placed on special leave and was receiving counselling. There were many questions following the gruesome incident, and a report by the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) about human rights violations that may have exacerbated the attack on two female warders. It was also revealed that the prisoner, as an inmate serving time for murder, was not supposed to be in that area where the incident took place.

OFM News