Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the hefty sentence upon Sarel Petrus du Plessis (53) for the murder of Bhekimuzi Ziko (14), who was killed on a farm in Kamhlushwa in the Nkomazi area in 2018.

The court heard how the victim, as well as his brother and his friends, were on the farm on December 5, 2018, at around 16:00.

The accused, who was employed as a security guard, fatally shot the minor using an unlicensed firearm. He further tried to shoot other people but failed, as they ran for their lives.

The accused was later arrested on December 8, 2018, and taken to court, where he was found guilty on June 20 last year.

He has since been remanded in custody and the following sentences were handed down:

• For the count of murder, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment.

• For a count of attempted murder, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

• For a count of attempted murder, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

• For a count of attempted murder, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

• For a count of possession of an unlicensed firearm, the accused was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

• For a count of possession of unlicensed ammunition, the accused was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

All the counts will run concurrently with the life sentence.

The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has indicated that the sentence will serve as a deterrence to others who might consider emulating the actions of the accused,

“The subject regarding firearms is a concern to us because these weapons are often used in the commission of violent crimes. We hope that this sentence will somehow bring closure to the victim’s family,” he said.