Pair Sentenced To Life For Murder Of A Legal Aid Attorney
The High Court of South Africa: Mpumalanga Division has sentenced Siphesihle Jeremia Mashabane (28) and Kgomotso Cecil Khoza (27), to life imprisonment for the murder of Xolani Govern Sithole (26), who was working as an attorney for Legal Aid South Africa. This was after the pair were convicted of robbery, with aggravating circumstances, theft and premeditated murder. On 16 December 2015, the pair were armed with a hammer and followed the deceased to his house in Barberton where the pair struck him with a hammer and he fell.
They took keys from the deceased, unlocked his house and dragged him into the house, searched him and took his cell phone, wallet and fled the scene. The deceased succumbed to his injuries and died later. The pair were arrested the following day, Khoza reported to the deceased’s family that his co-accused is the one who killed Sithole. The pair pleaded not guilty, and they testified implicating each other in court. Senior state Advocate, Derrick Mashego led evidence of the deceased’s mother, who discovered his son. She testified that her son was a breadwinner and paid school fees for his siblings who have now dropped out of school. The accused’s friend also testified, he told the court that both Mashabane and Khoza went with him to withdraw the deceased’s money to the bank, with which they bought liquor.
Judge Thando Mankge, said families will never get out of economic prison if a person like the deceased, who was a breadwinner was killed before he can improve the lives of his family. She found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence. She sentenced each accused to 15 years imprisonment, for robbery with aggravating circumstances, three years for theft and life imprisonment each for premeditated murder. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, and the effective sentence is life imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority attributes this sentence to the collaborated efforts of the justice cluster, in maintaining law and order by ensuring that justice prevails for the victims’ families.
Note: The NPA’s media statements are available on the website: www.npa.gov.za
Issued by
Monica Nyuswa
Regional Spokesperson
Mpumalanga Division
Tel: 013 0450625
Cell: 0764855446