The State has called for a life sentence for convicted wife killer, Rob Packham, describing his actions as cold blooded, callous and selfish.
"The accused simply removed her from his life, as she in all probability no longer fitted in with what he wanted", senior state prosecutor Susan Galloway told the Western Cape High Court on Monday.
Packham had been married to his wife for more than thirty years, but the couple had been having marital problems because of his infidelities, before her disappearance on February 22, last year.
She did not arrive for work at the usual time of 7.30am and her body was later found in the boot of her burnt-out BMW near the Diep River train station.
Judge Elize Steyn rejected Packham's version that she could have been the victim of a random hijacking and instead found that Packham was "a crafty deceiver", agreeing with the State that his conduct was "incomprehensible" and had been indicative of guilt.
Delivering her judgment on May 20, she said that Packham had misled his family and his wife about terminating his relationship with his mistress and that his version had been dishonest and unreliable. Furthermore, there had been many instances where he was found to have lied or changed his version.
Defence lawyer, Craig Webster, while conceding the crime was serious, argued on Monday that Packham should not receive more than a twelve year sentence. The 58-year-old was not a young man, was a first time offender, and had posed no threat to society in the past, Webster told the court.
Sentencing has been set down for Wednesday. - ANA
