Three residents from Tongaat in KZN have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the gruesome murder of a 16-year-old boy in 2020.

The Verulam Regional Court also sentenced Andile Nhleko (27), Mncedisi Mzobe (27) and Lindani Ndlovu (26) additional years for kidnapping.

A fourth man, co-accused Malusi Mthembu (27), received 12 years for murder and three years for kidnapping.

Another co-accused, Mlungisi Thabethe, was murdered before the trial began. He was shot dead while driving on Gopalall Hurbans Road a year later.

The court heard that Andile ‘Bobo’ Mbuthu was beaten to death in Hambanathi township in April 2020 after he was accused of stealing alcohol from a local tavern.

After being interrogated by the accused, he reportedly confessed, and the alcohol was recovered. However, instead of releasing him, the group detained and assaulted Mbuthu for hours using a sjambok, golf clubs and sticks.

Bobo’s sister attempted to intervene after receiving word of his assault. Ndlovu told her to fetch clean clothes for her brother so that he could be taken to hospital.

When she returned, she was told he had escaped. What transpired, however, was that he died at the hands of the accused, after which his body was loaded onto the back of a bakkie.

The accused then attended a birthday braai celebration for Thabethe. After the celebration, Nhleko, Mzobe and Ndlovu burned Bobo’s body.

The following morning, Nhleko dismembered the body and placed it into a bag and the remains were dumped in a nearby river.

Bobo’s death sparked a nationwide public outcry after the shocking video of his beating went viral with #JusticeForBobo.

The sentencing included victim impact statements, highlighting the deep trauma experienced by Bobo’s family, which was worsened by the circulation of the video of his assault.