GRASKOP – A murdered Malalane farmer’s family is relieved his killers were handed heavy sentences yesterday.
Solomon Mabaso (36) and Nhlanhla Shongwe (31) received 25 years’ each for the brutal murder of Mr Adriaan van den Berg (43) on his farm on May 29, 2014.
The men appeared in the Circuit High Court on Thursday.
The judge, Mr Brian Mashile further sentenced each to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. Ten years of the sentences will run concurrently. Effectively each will serve 30 years.
The brother of the deceased, Mr Johan van den Berg, told Lowvelder the family was relieved but would have preferred to have Adriaan back.
He had lived alone on his farm in the Onderberg area. His body was discovered by a close friend – his hands and feet were tied up and he had been strangled to death with a curtain. A number of items, including clothes, electric appliances, furniture and his Nissan bakkie, had been stolen.
Mabaso and Shongwe were apprehended by police following a tip-off received from Bossies Community Justice in Mbombela. The men were arrested in Matsulu three days after the incident. The stolen vehicle and house appliances, belonging to the farmer, were found in their possession.
Both men had made confession statements to the police upon their arrest. In these they stated they had planned the robbery and knew of Adriaan’s living conditions.
“This is our closure,” Johan said. “I hope they sit in jail and think about what they did to my brother.” He added he was relieved they would not be able to harm any other family. “I want to thank everyone involved for helping us to get justice.”
Mpumalanga police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi welcomed the sentence. “It will deter anyone from attempting these crimes,” he concluded.
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