“This is the mother of your child, this is femicide by a man who killed his wife in a barbaric, heinous crime.”
These were part of the state’s final statements heard in the Mitchells Plain Regional Court, during the sentencing of Donovan Titus, who in July was found guilty of murdering his wife Candice Titus.
The state told the court that it was Donovan’s male ego that led him to viciously stab Candice 30 times because he had felt disrespected when she had brought home contractors.
The two had been married for two years before the murder in their Mitchells Plain home in August 2015.
Their daughter, now 14 years old, survived the ordeal as she pretended to be asleep when Candice, 28, was killed in her bed.
Titus could be seen wiping away tears as the court again heard yesterday that he maintained his innocence, like he did when the trial started, claiming an intruder broke into their home and stabbed Candice with a knife.
Before the state read out WhatsApp messages between the couple in which Donovan had called his wife a pig and a p***, the court heard how the couple’s little girl had drawn a three-part picture, depicting how she felt.
“She was seven years old when she drew it, the first picture shows her and her mom happy, this was before the incident. In the second, her face changes from happy to sad and she has tears coming from her eyes.
“When asked about the tears, she said she wished that her mommy was still here, and that she loves and misses her mommy, and that she is sad. She lastly asks why she has to grow up without a mom.”
The State said for this reason, they could not accept that there was any circumstantial or compelling evidence to lessen the minimum sentence of 15 years.
However Titus’legal aid lawyer argued that he should get the minimum sentence with a half-suspended sentence, amounting to seven and a half years imprisonment.
His defence further mentioned that reports from his family described him as a respectable, friendly, pleasant and non-aggressive person, who was loved by everyone.
She further stated Titus had no previous convictions or pending cases, that in the nine years he was out on bail, he did not commit one crime.
“The defence takes into account the seriousness of the case, it’s murder, this very word expresses how serious it is and nothing can take away how serious it is and that a life cannot be brought back, but we ask the court to bestow mercy when sentencing the accused.
“Give him another opportunity, this was a once off incident.”
Sentencing will be handed down today.