A South African police officer in Eastern Cape was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering his girlfriend.

The Butterworth Circuit Court also declared Detective Makazukiswe Sigonya unfit to possess a firearm.

The official was convicted in September.

He assaulted the woman in July 2016 before taking her to hospital where she later died.

“Ipid welcomes this sentence and remains very committed to ensuring that law enforcement officials who break the law face the full might of the law, especially when it comes to gender-based violence and femicide,” said Ndileka Cola, the spokesperson for Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).