Life and 48 years for robbery and murder
The Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Middelburg convicted and sentenced Percy Tlamama (28), from Maganagobuswa, to life and 48 years imprisonment for murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, possession of unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.
The first incident happened on 26 and 28 December 2017 when Tlamama went to the murder victim’s house in Siyabuswa where he found him checking his goats and sheep.
He dragged him to his house, tied him and fatally shot him. He then robbed him of his livestock and used his Toyota Hilux bakkie as a getaway vehicle.
In January 2018, a couple was sitting in a red VW Polo motor vehicle in Siyabuswa when Tlamama approached them at gunpoint.
He hijacked their motor vehicle, took them to Bronkhorspruit and demanded a bank pin code and a bank card, whereafter he withdrew an amount of R8000 from their bank account.
He travelled with the couple from Bronkhorspruit to Senotlelo village where one of the complainants escaped and left the other at Maganagobuswa village.
He proceeded with his journey where he travelled to Mamelodi using the complaints vehicle where there was a shootout between him and the police. He then abandoned the motor vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
In court, Tlamama pleaded guilty on kidnapping, possession of unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition.
The state advocate, Tebogo Molefe led the evidence of Tlamama’s friend who told the court that Tlamama made confessions to him that he robbed and killed the murder victim in December 2017.
The friend further testified that Tlamama was driving a vehicle without a registration and was in possession of a firearm which all matched those of the deceased.
Judge Bruce Langa agreed with the state and found Tlamama guilty on all six counts. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, fifteen years imprisonment for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, ten years imprisonment for kidnapping, five years for unlawful possession of firearm and another three years for possession of ammunition.
The Court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
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