A 16-year-old matric pupil was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in Westville prison's juvenile section, with another 10 years suspended, by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday for murdering a teacher.

The suspended sentences was conditional on his completing rehabilitation courses and passing his matric, ordered Judge Piet Koen.

In July, the youth and friends approached teacher Arnold Thenjwayo, a father of four, at a tavern. They kidnapped him, bundled him in the back of his own car, stabbed him to death and took his car.

The teenager was convicted of Thenjwayo's murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

A 'model son'

In testimony during the sentencing proceedings, the court was told that the youth was a model son and pupil until his earlier arrest.

A probation officer told the court that, after the teenager was released from custody, he kept bad company, bullied others at school and became unruly.

Until this initial arrest, the youngster had made excellent progress at school ? progressing to matric at the age of 16, which was much faster than many others.

His mother told the probation officer that he started breaking into houses because he wanted money to buy alcohol with his friends.

She cursed the day that he started drinking, because it signalled his change completely for the worse.

Koen said that the legislature had enacted severe penalties for the matric pupil's crimes.

However, he had not imposed a life sentence because the teenager had no previous convictions ? a previous arrest did not result in a conviction ? and seemed to have prospects for rehabilitation.

Koen said that these types of crimes had become all too prevalent, with courts having to deal with them every day.

Society demanded that the courts impose deterrent sentences and anyone who thought of emulating the criminals should remember that they would be dealt with severely.