A woman from Gauteng has been sentenced to life behind bars after the Pretoria High Court determined she played a key role in the murder of her partner. Despite her claims of innocence, the evidence presented illustrated a deliberate plot aimed at killing and subsequently covering up the crime.
The court heard distressing accounts of treachery and violence that culminated in the conviction of 37-year-old Antoinette Maritz from Petit. Judge Samuel Makamu emphasized that there were no significant reasons to impose a lesser sentence, labeling the actions as cruel while noting Maritz’s lack of true remorse.
Maritz received a life sentence for the premeditated killing of Wayne Henderson, her partner. Additionally, she was sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder, another 15 years for robbery with aggravating conditions, and five years for attempting to obstruct justice.
The court ruled that these additional sentences would run concurrently with her life term. Maritz was also deemed unfit to hold a firearm.
According to Tshegofatso Makhudu, a spokesperson for the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority, this case revealed a premeditated assault that ultimately resulted in Henderson’s death and caused severe trauma to his elderly mother.
Her co-accused, Johan George Pratt, received a 30-year prison sentence on April 15, 2025, after entering a plea agreement. He was found guilty of premeditated murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery, and obstructing justice.
On the night of November 5, 2023, Maritz reached out to Pratt, her former boyfriend, requesting his presence at her house, where she lived with Henderson and his mother.
Upon arrival, Pratt was let in by Maritz through a back window.
During that night, she guided him to where Henderson was sleeping, and Pratt then attacked him violently, repeatedly stabbing him.
After the incident, they moved Henderson’s body into another room and stayed hidden until daybreak.
The violence escalated the next morning when they confronted Henderson’s mother in the living room.
The prosecution stated that Pratt hit her multiple times with an ashtray before restraining her and taking her belongings.
They eventually placed Henderson’s body in his mother’s car, drove it to a field near Standerton, and disposed of it before fleeing to Pratt’s brother’s home.
Law enforcement eventually apprehended both individuals on March 15, 2024. They remained in custody throughout the trial, as the National Prosecuting Authority successfully argued against their bail requests.
During the trial, Maritz insisted on her innocence and denied any participation in the crimes.
However, State prosecutor Advocate Mokautu Masilo presented overwhelming evidence, including testimonies from Pratt and Henderson’s mother, who both implicated Maritz in the planning and execution of the crimes.
In the sentencing phase, Maritz’s defense team requested a reduced sentence, citing her status as a first-time offender, a mother of nine dependent children, and her two years of pre-trial detention.
The State opposed this request vigorously.
Advocate Masilo contended that Maritz exhibited no remorse and had taken advantage of the trust placed in her by Henderson and his family. He argued that she manipulated Pratt into committing the murder, robbing Henderson’s family of their son through a premeditated act of violence.
The prosecution also provided Victim Impact Statements prepared with the help of Court Preparation Officer Lebogang Lebese. Henderson’s mother articulated in her statement the profound emotional and psychological effects of her son’s tragic and violent death.
In his judgment, Judge Makamu affirmed the State’s position, stating that Maritz’s attempts at demonstrating remorse were insincere.
He determined that she continued to evade responsibility despite the substantial evidence against her.
The judge characterized the crimes as ruthless, ruling that there were no significant grounds to warrant a departure from the minimum mandatory sentence for premeditated murder in South Africa.
With the imposition of the life sentence, this case, marked by deceit, calculated violence, and significant loss for Henderson’s family, reaches a conclusion.
