‘Zama Zama’ farm shooter gets five life sentences
A Lesotho national was found guilty of murdering five people in a revenge farm shooting by the Middelburg High Court on Tuesday.
According to Provincial SAPS spokesperson Col. Donald Ndluli, 38-year-old Teboho Thokoane, notoriously known as Maphoshane, was convicted of five counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The sentence follows after an incident in 2017, wherein one of Thokoane’s accomplices shot and disabled a man in Ogies.
The community tracked the shooter down and beat him to death.
In retaliation, Thokoane and his accomplices launched an attack on the Steyn Farm in Ogies on 12 October 2017.
Tshego Rampai (36), Mogale Mokobane (35), Dimakatso Tladi (50) and Sipho Mabaso (24) were killed in the shooting and two other women were injured.
According to a press release issued by the Provincial Commissioner of the Mpumalanga SAPS, Thokoane was given five life sentences, an additional 10 years in prison for attempted murder and seven years for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, which will run concurrently.
The remaining suspects were found deceased following an unrelated altercation.
“Police management believe that the sentence will send a strong warning to criminals that their unlawful actions will eventually land them behind bars for a very long time, just like Thokoane,” the statement read.
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