Gqeberha man, Maurice Butlion, sentenced to life for stabbing his mother to death and setting her flat on fire

Maurice Butlion was handed a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to murdering his mother, Sharon-Ann Butlion, in 2022. He appeared in the Gqeberha High Court on Tuesday.

Spokesperson in the Eastern Cape, Luxolo Tyali, confirmed that Butlion was sentenced to life and 30 years.

"He pleaded guilty. He got life for murder, 10 years for arson, 10 years defeating the ends of justice, and 10 years for abusing an elderly person," Tyali said.

Two years ago, Butlion stabbed his mother several times. According to reports, the knife broke as a result of Butlion's relentless assault but he continued to stab his dying mother. He then set items in her bedroom alight, locked the door to her apartment and left.

Police found her partially charred body as well as her car and arrested Butlion.

Following his arrest, Butlion underwent psychiatric evaluation at the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital in Makhanda.

In his guilty plea, Butlion said he lost his job during the Covid-19 pandemic and could not earn money.

He said his mother fell ill and was diagnosed with Cancer.

Algoa FM reported that finding himself cash-strapped and realising there was no way out for him and his mother, he concluded that the only way out was to kill his mother and then take his own life.

He detailed for the court how he approached his mother on September 13, 2022 and stabbed her repeatedly.

Butlion said after setting items in the apartment alight, he drove to the Animal Welfare Society and spent the night in bushes near the Walmer Township.

He then walked to different shops to buy cigarettes and chips before he went to look for a friend. As he approached a petrol station on 10th Avenue, he was arrested.

In his plea, Butlion, the youngest of three children, apologised to his siblings for what he did.

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