Pretoria Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Murdering Wife and Stepdaughter, Claims He Meant to Scare Them
SOUTH Africa – Paul Prinsloo, a Pretoria resident, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murders of his wife, Magdaleen Prinsloo (58) and stepdaughter, Ruzanne Weideman (31).
The Pretoria High Court handed down the sentence today, following the guilty verdict on March 17, 2025.
The tragic event occurred on November 27, 2023, at the family’s home in Kosmos Hartbeespoort.
According to State papers, Prinsloo retrieved a loaded hunting rifle and fatally shot both women at close range.
He initially claimed he only intended to frighten them, but the court rejected this argument, ruling that the killings were deliberate.
Forensic evidence and ballistic reports supported the prosecution’s case that the murders were planned. Neighbours testified about hearing an intense argument before the gunshots rang out.
Relatives of the deceased described Magdaleen and Ruzanne as loving and kind individuals who did not deserve such a brutal end.
The judge acknowledged Prinsloo’s clean criminal record and age but stressed the severity of the crime and its lasting impact on the victims’ family and community.
Prinsloo will serve two-thirds of his sentence – 16 years and 8 months before becoming eligible for parole, according to MDNnews.
