NELSPRUIT – A man with deformed hands has been found guilty of strangling a man with a seat belt. Vincent Mxolisi Mokoena (28) appeared in the Gauteng Circuit of the High Court on Friday where judgement was delivered.
Mokoena and another accused, Mr Henry Skumbuza Mokoena (34) were charged with the murder of Mr Sydney Mkhatswa (28). The charges against Henry were later withdrawn.
The judge, Mr Eben Jordaan found Vincent guilty of murder and vehicle theft. He sentenced him to 25 years for murder and 12 years for theft. Seven years of the theft sentence would run concurrently with the murder. Jordaan said in totality he would serve 30 years in jail.
Jordaan said Vincent had intended to kill Mkhatswa, who had met him regarding the sale of his car. The accused did not show any emotion during his sentencing. The incident occurred on June 8, 2013. The charge sheet stated the cause of death was strangulation. The body had been found next to the road to Ohrigstad on June 9.
The accused was arrested on June 20 after being found in possession of Mkhatswa’s vehicle in Pretoria on June 14. During the trial it had come to light that Vincent’s hands were deformed.
He had been born with three fingers on each hand, which were curled up and unable to function. In his statement, given to Capt Dolf Smith, he claimed that he had been in the passenger’s seat next to the deceased who was in the driver’s. Henry was in the back.
The accused alleged that Mkhatswa’s seat belt had not been fastened and that Henry had tied it around the victim’s head and strangled him. Vincent said that Mkhatswa was drunk and that he and Henry wanted to steal the vehicle, but did not plan to kill the victim.
They then drove off and dumped the body on the R36 between Lydenburg and Ohrigstad. Vincent denied that he had given the statement, yet did not deny his signature on it.
Henry had testified against the accused in court that he had been with them on the night but had proof that they had dropped him at home before the murder took place.
