Repeat Offender Sentenced to 22 Years for Brutal Attack
Reporter – Isaac Cloete
Springbok – A convicted murderer and parolee is back behind bars after a violent attack on his former partner, reigniting concerns over the effectiveness of the parole system in rehabilitating violent offenders.
Detective sergeant Estelle Magerman
Jan “Blades” Maarman (60) was sentenced this week in the Springbok Regional Court to 22 years of direct imprisonment for the attempted murder of Lena Swartbooi (46) in Bergsig, Springbok, last year. The court found that Maarman had viciously attacked Swartbooi in a jealous rage, leaving her with severe and life-altering injuries.
Maarman and Swartbooi, who share a 13-year-old son, were previously in a cohabiting relationship. However, his controlling, aggressive, and possessive behavior led to their separation. Despite their breakup, Maarman continued to interfere in Swartbooi’s life, culminating in the brutal assault on 13 August 2024.
Following an argument over Swartbooi’s new relationship, Maarman attacked her with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds to her face, arms, hands, back, and legs. The attack left her with severe fractures, permanent damage to her hand, and injuries so critical that she was transported by ambulance from Springbok Hospital to Dr. Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington for emergency surgery. A J88 medical report later confirmed that she would never be able to work again due to the extent of her injuries.
What shocked the court was Maarman’s cold-blooded demeanor. After the attack, he left Swartbooi for dead, returned home, got dressed for work, and proceeded with his day as if nothing had happened. It was only due to the intervention of bystanders that Swartbooi was found and rushed to medical care in time.
During the trial, it emerged that Maarman had a history of extreme violence. He had previously been convicted of murdering another former partner, whom he stabbed to death at her workplace on 29 April 2010. At the time, they also had a young child together. He was sentenced in 2012 to 15 years for murder and two years for defeating the ends of justice, with both sentences running concurrently. Released on parole on 28 October 2019, he was supposed to remain under supervision until 22 September 2026.
Regional court prosecutor Basil “The Jaguar” Kock argued that Maarman had shown no remorse and was driven by a need to dominate and control his partners. He pushed for a sentence exceeding the minimum prescribed 20 years, given the brutal nature of the crime and its devastating impact on the victim.
Presiding over the case, Magistrate Numfeneko Mbalo was unequivocal in her ruling. “This was a clear case of gender-based violence where the accused sought to eliminate his former partner simply because she had moved on,” she stated. “The attack was motivated by jealousy and was a brutal act of gender-based violence.”
The court ultimately sentenced Maarman to 22 years of direct imprisonment. His parole was revoked, and his new sentence will run concurrently with the remainder of his initial sentence for murder.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), emphasized that gender-based violence and repeat offenders would not be tolerated. “The successful prosecution of these cases provides some justice and closure to the victims and their families and removes violent criminals from our streets,” he stated.
Maarman’s return to prison raises critical questions about the parole system and whether convicted murderers should be granted early release, especially when they continue to pose a threat to society.