Hope Ntanzi|Published
Two men have been sentenced to a 20 years in prison each for the murder of a 68-year-old man and the attempted murder of his wife during a farm attack in Grootvlei, Mpumalanga, in July 2023.
Nkosingiphile Malinga and Samukelo Tshabalala were sentenced by the Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Middelburg on October 15 after entering into a plea and sentence agreement under Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo, the attack took place on July 30, 2023, when police in Grootvlei received information about a farm attack at about 9.45 am.
When officers arrived at the farm, they found the 68-year-old man dead with stab wounds. His 65-year-old wife had sustained serious head injuries and was taken to a medical facility for treatment.
The couple had been robbed of their vehicle, firearms, ammunition and electrical appliances.
Masondo said police activated a lookout for the suspects, and the stolen vehicle was later found overturned near Villiers. Four suspects were arrested by Villiers police at the scene.
Malinga and Tshabalala were among those arrested. The other two accused were Siyabonga Ziqubu and Kgahliso Motaung.
Court sentences
Malinga and Tshabalala each received 25 years’ imprisonment for murder, with five years suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of murder during that period.
They were also sentenced to 25 years for attempted murder, with five years suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of attempted murder during that period.
Additional sentences included two years for each of two counts of contravening the Older Persons Act, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and five years for each of three firearms-related offences.
The court ordered that the sentences on counts two to eight run concurrently with the murder sentence, leaving each man to serve an effective 20 years in prison.
The cases against Ziqubu and Motaung were separated and postponed to November 6 to 17, 2028, for trial in the Delmas High Court.
Police welcome sentence
Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise welcomed the sentences and commended the investigating team, prosecution and judiciary.
“This sentencing should send a clear message that those who attack victims, including the farming communities and vulnerable elderly persons will face the full might of the law.
''We commend the excellent work by our Murder and Robbery Unit and all role players who ensured this conviction,” Modise said.
The investigating officer from the Gert Sibande District Murder and Robbery Unit was also commended for the investigation that secured the conviction.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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