Convicted hitman Sabelo Phewa (34) has been handed two life sentences by the Pietermaritzburg High Court for the 2017 murder of Richmond municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole and the killing of Hillcrest businessman Amos Ngcobo.

The Witness reports that Sithole was gunned down outside the Richmond licensing office on March 3, 2017, moments before he was due to attend a council meeting where he was expected to raise concerns about fraud and corruption in tenders and kickbacks at the municipality.

The SAPS Political Killings Task Team took over the investigation and linked the firearm found in Phewa’s possession to both murders through ballistic analysis.

Yesterday, the Pietermaritzburg High Court sitting in the Durban High Court sentenced Phewa to life imprisonment for the murder of Sibusiso Sithole, life imprisonment for the murder of Amos Ngcobo, five years for attempted murder of police officers, 15 years for unlawful possession of a firearm and five years for unlawful possession of ammunition.

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola welcomed the outcome, praising investigators: “Well done to the Political Killings Task Team for cracking this case and ensuring a lengthy conviction for the hitman. Through this case, we were able to link and solve other murders, such as that of Amos Ngcobo. The team has now secured more than 30 life sentences against hitmen and those who ordered the killings.”

Phewa, who fired his lawyer and represented himself, maintained his innocence to the end, claiming the evidence against him was flawed.

He was arrested in November 2018, more than a year after Sithole’s killing.

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