MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR MURDER OF HIS FRIEND
08 MAY 2025
MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR MURDER OF HIS FRIEND
Springbok, Northern Cape – The Springbok Regional Court has sentenced Patrick Leonard Damon (57) to 20 years of direct imprisonment for the murder of his friend, Mornè Hamilton Huskitt (43), in Komaggas. The court also declared Damon unfit to possess a firearm. On 19 August 2023, Damon and Huskitt, who worked as casual labourers, received payment for their day's work and used it to purchase alcohol, which they consumed at Damon’s residence. Later, they went to look for Damon’s girlfriend and found her at a mutual friend’s house. The group, including the accused, his girlfriend, the mutual friend, and his wife, agreed to continue drinking together and fetched additional alcohol, including a 5-litre box of wine, from Damon’s house.
While drinking at the mutual friend’s home, Huskitt sat between the legs of Damon’s girlfriend, an act that enraged Damon. He kicked Huskitt using his mine boots equipped with reinforced iron toes and then slapped him. Huskitt responded by pinning Damon to the bed. The mutual friend intervened and asked Damon to leave the premises. Huskitt left the house, but Damon refused to go and had to be physically removed.
As Huskitt waited for the gate to be opened so he could leave, Damon followed him. Moments later, the friend, preparing to lock the gate, saw Huskitt lying face down on the ground. Damon was seen walking away from the scene without offering any assistance. The victim’s father was contacted, and Huskitt was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Kimberley. Sadly, he never regained consciousness and passed away on 26 August 2023. Thanks to a thorough investigation by Sergeant Chantal Cloete of the South African Police Service, Damon was arrested and charged with murder. A pathologist later confirmed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the skull, consistent with a kick from the mine boots Damon had worn.
During the trial, Damon chose not to testify. In aggravation of sentence, Regional Court Prosecutor Basil Kock submitted that Damon had a prior conviction from 11 August 2010, where he was found guilty of murder, rape, and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm his victim then being his wife. He was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment and released on parole on 20 March 2017. His parole ended just three months before the current offence.
Prosecutor Kock argued that Damon had shown no remorse and did not take the court into his confidence. He further highlighted the prevalence of violent crimes in the region and noted that Damon’s previous sentence had failed to rehabilitate him. The court found no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify deviating from the prescribed minimum sentence. The court accepted the state’s arguments and sentenced Damon to 20 years of direct imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) remains committed to tackling serious violent crime, including murder, and ensuring that repeat offenders are held accountable. The NPA also recognises the destructive role alcohol abuse plays in escalating violence, often turning social settings into scenes of irreversible tragedy.
The NPA urges communities to address the root causes of alcohol-related violence and to work collaboratively with law enforcement, civil society, and support organisations. Only through a united effort can we build safer communities and protect the sanctity of life.
Issued by:
Mojalefa Senokoatsane
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Northern Cape Division
MSenokoatsane@npa.gov.za
073 423 3539