Action Society is calling for the strongest sentence permitted by law when Alrico Appolis, convicted of murdering his mother, Mary-Ann Appolis, appears in Parow Regional Court 4 on 21 October 2026. No family members were identified or located during the proceedings, and Mary-Ann was buried as a pauper. Action Society will ensure that her name and her case are not forgotten.
The court rejected Appolis’s denial that he assaulted his mother. Evidence showed that he attacked her after demanding money that she said she did not have. He kicked her, jumped on her head, struck her with a wooden plank from a bunk bed and slammed her against walls.
A young female witness was present but was too frightened to intervene. Appolis locked the house. After he left the following day, the witness escaped and alerted neighbours, who arranged for Mary-Ann to be taken to hospital.
Mary-Ann sustained extensive injuries, including multiple fractured ribs and serious head and facial injuries. Her condition deteriorated, and she developed respiratory complications and pneumonia. She died in hospital. Medical evidence established that the pneumonia resulted from the injuries sustained in the assault.
“Mary-Ann was murdered by her own son in her home. No family member has been found to stand up for her in court, but she must not become a forgotten victim,” says Juanita du Preez of Action Society. “The brutality of this attack demands a sentence that reflects the value of her life. We urge the court to impose the maximum sentence justified by the evidence and the law, including life imprisonment if warranted.”
Research by the South African Medical Research Council found that family members were responsible for 10.9% of the murders of women examined in its 2020/21 national femicide study. Mary-Ann’s case brings attention to the danger women can face from relatives within their own homes.
The court is awaiting outstanding reports, including an updated probation officer’s report, before sentencing. Action Society will monitor the hearing on 21 October and report on the outcome.
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