Amantle Samane's mom tells court she relives pain of her daughter's murder
The Johannesburg High Court is expected to hand down sentence in the case of Phethe Sara Simiao, who pled guilty to the kidnapping, rape and murder of six-year-old Amantle Samane.
Pethe Sara Simiao, who is accused of raping and killing six-year-old Amantle Samane, appeared in the Johannesburg High Court for the conclusion of his pre-trial hearing on 27 May 2025. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The Johannesburg High Court is expected to hand down sentence in the case of Phethe Sara Simiao, who pleaded guilty to the kidnapping, rape and murder of six-year-old Amantle Samane.
Simiao was arrested in October last year and entered into a guilty plea, a move the defence said showed remorse.
But the State argued that the crime was cruel, planned and had devastating consequences for the family, factors it said warranted a harsh sentence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Amantle’s mother, Ntombi Samane, gave a tearful victim impact statement, expressing the family’s pain.
"When I hear a child cry outside, I become agitated. I miss Amantle and relive the pain. It gave me that hatred for foreign nationals."