Three life terms for killers of police officer and her husband
The Mpumalanga High Court on Friday delivered a crushing sentence to Freeman Thulani Maisame (33) and Martin Mohlala (27), who were tried for the murder of a police officer and her husband in Agincourt, Thulamahashe, last year.
Maisame and Mahlola were sentenced to three life terms each for murdering Sgt Thembisile Ndlovu (41), her husband, Jabulani Khoza (46) and the accused Mandla Sambo (35), who died during the shoot-out with the victims.
They received an additional 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, a further five and three years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition. They were also sentenced to a further five years’ imprisonment for discharging of a firearm in a public place.
According to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, Thulani and Mohlala as well as a third suspect, Mandla Sambo broke into Ndlovu and Khoza’s home in Mkhuhlu on December 1 last year.
“They demanded keys to a vehicle that was parked in the yard. A shoot-out ensued between Ndlovu, Khoza and the three suspects. As a result, Ndlovu and one of the attackers, Sambo, died on the scene. “The husband was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries,” said Nyuswa. Days after the incident, the pair were arrested at different locations after having gone to ground.
The two gunmen claimed to have had no knowledge of the shooting. Their alibi, which was that they were drinking at a tavern on the night in question, was shattered by witnesses who pointed them out at an identification parade. Sambo’s wife also testified that they, along with her deceased husband, were complicit in the murders.
The pair faced additional charges of hijacking and business robbery, stemming from a 2018 incident in which they pointed a firearm at a couple on their way to a wedding. Nyuswa said, “They pointed a firearm at the victims and demanded their cell phones, vehicle keys, wallets, belts and shoes.
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They hijacked a silver VW Jetta which they fled in.” Subsequent to this, they committed a business robbery with the hijacked vehicle. “They pointed firearms at the patrons, fired shots into the ceiling of the tavern and ordered them to lie on the ground and removed cash from the cash register. They further took airtime and cigarettes and abandoned the vehicle outside the tavern.”
The pair were convicted of three counts of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, pointing of a firearm, discharge of a firearm in a public area and two counts of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” Nyuswa added.
“In aggravation of sentence, the State submitted to court that this was a brutal murder. Ndlovu and Khoza were attacked in their bedroom and shots were fired in front of their six-year-old daughter during the hijacking.
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“What made the case worse was that one of the deceased in the matter was a police officer.
The State further submitted that interested persons and the community at large should receive some recognition in the sentences that the courts imposed and it is not irrelevant to bear in mind that if sentences for serious crimes are too lenient, the administration of justice may fall into disrepute and an injured person may be inclined to take the law into their own hands,” Nyuswa concluded.
