Former policeman Saeed Sipho Dlamini has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2014 murder of his friend.

Lowvelder reports that he was also sentenced to an additional 15 years, five years, and 12 months for other crimes.

Dlamini (38) appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court alongside his friend Sayco Xolani Mathe (51) on Wednesday.

The two, who were out on bail, were appearing on charges of armed robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating the ends of justice.

Tavern meeting ends in murder

Dlamini also faced a separate charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. The court heard that Dlamini, Mathe and Xolani Brown Lubisi (38) met at a tavern in Kaapmuiden on March 31, 2014.

The three drank alcohol together before driving in Lubisi’s vehicle.

During the trip, Dlamini, who was sitting in the back seat behind the driver (Lubisi), drew his service pistol and shot Lubisi in the back of his head, killing him instantly.

When the vehicle stopped, Dlamini ordered Mathe to remove the corpse from the driver’s seat and place it in the back seat.

Dlamini then took over the steering wheel and drove along the N4 towards Machadodorp. Somewhere near Ngodwana, Dlamini stopped the vehicle on the side of the road.

He then instructed Mathe to take Lubisi’s body out of the vehicle. Dlamini also ordered Mathe to search and take everything from the pockets of Lubisi’s clothes.

Dlamini and Mathe then drove away at high speed, leaving the body behind. The court heard that a Waterval Boven police officer on patrol noticed the speeding vehicle and attempted to stop it.

The officer called for backup when the driver failed to comply, and the vehicle was eventually cornered.

DNA evidence seals conviction

When inspecting the vehicle, police found bloodstains and questioned the occupants about them.

Dlamini then produced his police identification card and falsely claimed that the blood belonged to his child, who had been involved in a road accident.

He was arrested for drunken driving, and further investigations linked him to Lubisi’s murder, robbery and defeating the ends of justice. He pleaded not guilty and denied involvement in the whole matter.

However, state prosecutor John Mahlwele led compelling evidence, including testimony from the officer who stopped the vehicle, and Lubisi’s sister, who identified the deceased and the vehicle.

DNA retrieved from Dlamini’s clothing and the vehicle matched the deceased’s blood. The postmortem report confirmed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Magistrate Greyvenstein found Dlamini guilty on all charges.

She acquitted Mathe after finding that he acted on Dlamini’s instructions and was afraid that if he refused to do what he was ordered to do, he could be the next one to be gunned down.

The magistrate sentenced Dlamini to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for defeating the ends of justice, and 12 months for drunken driving. She told him that he did not have any regard for human life.

“From the photo album presented before court, l see that you have killed a handsome man. He was as handsome as you are, and he had two children that are now fatherless,” said the magistrate.

Dlamini was automatically declared unfit to possess a firearm. His driver’s license was suspended for 12 months.

The magistrate ordered that Dlamini’s house be searched for firearms and ammunition that he might have. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) welcomed the sentence imposed on Dlamini.

“We commend the investigator and the prosecutor for their outstanding diligence and commitment in ensuring that a law enforcement officer found on the wrong side of the law is held accountable for his actions,” said IPID spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping.

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