Except for a quietly murmured ”praise God” in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, an eerie silence followed the conviction of a respected Mamelodi doctor for the murder of his wife.
Judge Essop Patel found that Joe Marole (40) knew exactly was aware of his actions when he shot dead his wife, clinical psychologist Makgomo Victoria Marole, shortly after midnight on May 15, 1999 at their Pretoria home.
The judge rejected Marole’s claim that he had acted involuntarily in a state of disassociation because of severe emotional stress and provocation and could not be held criminally liable for his actions. Marole claimed his wife had several affairs and had taunted him with another man because of his impotence during sex.
Mrs Marole’s naked body, riddled with bullet wounds, was found on her bed after her husband phoned the police, family members and his pastor. Judge Patel described the murder as an ”execution”, and said Marole probably had intent to kill her.
The court found that Marole could remember exactly what occurred on the night of the murder despite his claims of amnesia. His actions following the murder were also rational and calm, the judge said. He phoned the police, family members and his pastor, covered the body and gave his bank card and pin number to his wife’s niece to buy food and to pay for the funeral expenses.
The judge rejected Marole’s claim that his wife had harassed him to such an extent that he suffered from ”battered women syndrome” and snapped.
A family member testified that Marole had said he was tired of his wife. Another witness said Marole had threatened that his three children ”would be orphans” a few weeks before the incident. The trial was postponed to November 20 at the request of defence counsel Bert Bam, who asked the court for time to obtain the evidence of a criminologist.
Marole’s bail was withdrawn, despite pleas that he had three children and a medical practice to run. – Sapa