33-Year-old Berito Payito has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Palliser Road resident Terrence Sole (77).
Payito was found guilty of Sole’s murder on October 24 and was sentenced in Johannesburg High Court for murder on October 31.
Edenvale SAPS spokesperson Captain Jean Olckers said in addition to the life sentence Payito received 15 years imprisonment for robbery and 10 years for breaking into Sole’s property.
The matter was initially handled by the Germiston Regional Court but later transferred to the Johannesburg High Court.
Olckers said Edenvale SAPS detective Sgt Adam Mathipa investigated the matter.
“We are proud of Sgt Mathipa’s conviction and the work he did to achieve it,” said Olckers.
On September 27, 2017, Sole’s body was found at his home by his brother-in-law Alf Searle.
Read: BREAKING NEWS: Body of man (77) found inside his Edenvale home
At the property, a glass sliding door had been broken open however police could not determine how the Payito gained entry.
Police believed sole had been dead for a few days before his body was found.
The NEWS reported last October that Sole had been strangled and beaten to death by his attacker.
Also read: UPDATE: 57-year-old man shot FOUR times in Bedfordview
Olckers said during investigations police learned that Sole knew Payito.
“Payito broke into Sole’s home thinking nobody was home and found Sole there,” he said.
“Sole identified Payito which led to Payito killing him in order to protect his identity.”
Read: LATEST: Man (73) dies after hit-and-run on Modderfontein Road
