Durban mother sentenced to 20 years for the brutal murder of her daughter

A MOTHER who had repeatedly beat with a rolling pin and strangled her 3-year-old daughter Fadillah Chantal Kok to death, and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at the Durban High Court, yesterday

Teneil Ursula Kok, 35, also received a further three years' imprisonment for assault with intent to do grievous bodily, stemming from the May 2022 incident.

Judge Jacqueline Henriques who presided over the matter ordered both sentences run concurrently and that Kok be kept in a prison that was in close proximity to Durban for the sake of her children.

In her plea submission, Kok, a mother of four, admitted to killing Fadillah, and she also indicated that she had a traumatic upbringing, having been raped when she was 17 years old.

She described her rape as extremely traumatic. Kok said she attempted suicide twice and was involved abusive romantic relationships. After leaving an abusive relationship in 2017 with a Nigerian named Ike, she met Fadillah’s father, Hassan, who married her.

However, she said Hassan left her and went back to Somalia, and she did not know that he was married with children. 

“After Hassan left, I discovered I was pregnant with Fadillah, and he made no claims for her,” she added. 

She said in 2018 she stopped taking her anxiety and depression medication, around the time when she was introduced to a man named only as Hodgson in her plea document, who became her husband. They married over the phone, which is permissible in Islamic faith. 

She said that in 2020, they lived happily as her husband took care of her and they had a child together. Kok said Hodgson requested that she fetch Fadillah from her foster mother, Stephanie Jamieson.

Kok had given up Fadillah to Jamieson when she was a few weeks old because she could not afford to keep her and her other child. Jamieson raised Fadillah until she was three years old, when her mom took her upon Hodgson's request.

However, in 2020, Hodgson travelled to the UK and was unable to return due to his Visa expiring. It was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which posed further challenges with obtaining a Visa. Kok said it was difficult without her husband, admitting to abusing her children and hitting them with whatever was on-hand.

During sentencing, Henriques said from the onset, Kok wanted to plead guilty but she was delayed due to medical records that had to be obtained in order for the court to be able to reach a decision. 

“The matter was adjourned on several occasions," she Henriques

She said a medical report from the doctors said Kok was well in her mind when she killed Fadillah. However, she said the doctors who examined Kok indicated that she has psychotic symptoms, she was depressed, an insomniac, and sometimes got emotional. 

“The accused comes from a dysfunctional environment, but she will learn life skills while receiving treatment in prison, where she will also see a psychologist and psychiatrist," said Judge Henriques. 

She said she does not see a reason why Kok should not have any contact with her other children.

“Should they not have any contact with her, I’m concerned they would suffer the same fate as her. No matter what she has done, she is their mother and they deserve to have a relationship with her,” she said. 

Judge Henriques said she will be treated and monitored by medical practitioners while incarcerated. 

“I accept that the accused is remorseful, she is young and capable of rehabilitation,” said Judge Henriques.

Jamieson, who was in court with her husband Clive, was emotional and was not satisfied with the sentence, she believed Kok was not remorseful and established that when she visited her in prison, as an attempt to get closure. 

“I went to Westville Prison, but she only spoke about her feelings. I would have appreciated her telling me everything and saying Stephanie, I am sorry this is what happened. But she is too arrogant,” Jamieson said.

She described Fadillah as a friendly child who loved talking. 

“She was an amazing little girl. Whenever we would go to the shops or hospital, she would run and put her hands up and hug everyone she met,” she said.  

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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