Lee Mentoor murderer sentenced to life in ‘bittersweet’ ending
Liyaqat 'Lee' Mentoor's body still hasn't been found.
Onke Hartin Mashinini in the dock. Photo: Adéle Bloem.
29-year-old Onke Hartin Mashinini learned on October 29 that he will be spending the majority of his life behind bars, after he was sentenced to a collective 45 years in jail in the South Gauteng High Court, reports Roodepoort Record.
During his previous appearance on October 25, closing arguments by both the State and Defence were heard, giving Judge Mogotsi a lot of food for thought. He postponed the case, stating that he needed to work through all the material to ensure a fair and appropriate sentence.
The courtroom was packed with family and friends, as well as supporters, eagerly waiting for the sentencing to begin.
Mashinini was found guilty on three charges – pre-meditated murder, defeating the ends of justice and robbery with aggravating circumstances (not related to the Lee case).
A cheer rippled through the court room as Judge Mogotsi read out the sentences on these charges, handing down the minimum prescribed sentence for each charge.
“Onke received life (25 years) for murder, 15 years for robbery and five years for defeating the ends of justice. These sentences will be running concurrently, and, even though we are relieved, it is a bittersweet ending, as we still do not know where Lee is.
“But, we are grateful that justice has prevailed, and we want to thank everyone for their unwavering support and prayers. At the moment, we are experiencing a lot of mixed emotions, but one thing is certain – we will not stop until Lee is found.
“And, we hope that Onke will find it in his heart to, one day, tell us what happened to our baby boy,” said an emotional Estelle Delport when asked for comment.
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