Life sentence for the murder of top ANC member
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The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed the sentencing of two men who were found guilty of killing an ANC member almost 9 years ago.
Bongani Enock Masilela and Tau David Mokhali both aged 31 years old found the deceased Gladwin Khaiyane on the R59 Meyerton on his way with his girl friend, together with another male friend who had come to assist them with their vehicle that had broken up on the side of the road.
This is according to NPA Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana who also said that while the victims were busy on the vehicle, the said convicted came out of nowhere approaching them.
“Two men together with their three co-accused who were acquitted in the matter appeared and told them to lie down and fired shots at them. The deceased was shot and died on the scene. The men proceeded to rob the girlfriend, the deceased, and his friend of their belongings.”
“Amongst other things that were taken as a vehicle, Hyundai H100, which was later recovered at Sicelo in Meyerton close to Masilela’s house.”
Mahanjana added that Masilela proceeded to drag the woman to the nearby bushes where he raped her.
The incident is said to have occurred December 18, 2013. The perpetrators where arrested two days later at their homes and they had been in police custody since the incident.
They both pleaded not guilty to the crime.
“In aggravation of sentence, Adv. Jeffery Nethononda, asked for life imprisonment, he told the court that the rate of murders in South Africa is escalating, therefore the court needed to send a strong message.”
“In her judgment, Acting Judge Mokgale agreed with the state and added that the two committed a serious crime and crimes such as this one of murders during a robbery are high, the two accused showed no remorse and, therefore the sentence was appropriate.”
Masilela was further sentenced to 43 years imprisonment for rape, possession of an unlawful firearm and possession of ammunition. The Judge ordered that the sentence run with that of life, and they are declared unfit to possess a firearm.
