The Ngwelezane Regional Court has sentenced two men for murdering Pastor John Myaka, shocking congregants and devastating his family.
The Ngwelezane Regional Court has sentenced two men to life for murdering a pastor over a property dispute, leaving congregants shaken and his family devastated.
Phakamani Eugene Khumalo, 33, and Sandile Mthokozisi Mabuyakhulu, 33, were sentenced to life and 11 years and six months imprisonment for the murder of John Funa Myaka in June 2023 in the Enseleni, KwaZulu-Natal, area.
The deceased was a pastor, a member of the African Christian Democratic Party, and a ward councillor at the time of his death.
Two men jailed for murdering pastor during property dispute
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Myaka had purchased property from a person named Nonhlanhla before his passing.
“The property was sold at R70 000, and when it was time for Myaka to take occupation of the property, Nonhlanhla organised hitmen to kill him,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She said the hit was organised because the property didn’t belong solely to Nonhlanhla; it was a family property.
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Khumalo and Mabuyakhulu were recruited to kill the pastor for R20 000. Half of this was paid as a deposit before the job was executed.
On the evening of the incident, the men shot and killed the pastor with other congregants present.
The congregants who witnessed the brutal attack told the court that they were scared to attend church because the pastor’s death happened in a place of safety and refuge.
Nonhlanhla found dead
After the shooting, the hitmen fled the scene on foot.
Ramkisson-Kara said that afterwards, the police followed up on leads, which led to the arrests of Khumalo and Mabuyakhulu. The officers also followed up on Nonhlanhla’s whereabouts, but they found that she had died.
Prosecutor Elvis Gcweka presented testimony from multiple witnesses and cellphone data showing Nonhlanhla’s conversations with the men. The cellphone records also placed the accused at the scene.
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Evidence also suggests that Nonhlanhla was not the sole owner of the property sold to Myaka.
The state submitted victim impact statements, prepared by Myaka’s family and congregants and assisted by court preparation officer Ntombi Chonco, to support its case.
“The statements all spoke of Myaka as a charitable and kind person. His family members described him as their provider and the foundation of their home,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
Life imprisonment, 10 years and 18 months
The court sentenced the men to life imprisonment for murder, 10 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, and 18 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.
They were declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“The NPA’s collaboration with other stakeholders yields positive results as indicated in the successful finalisation of this case. We hope that the sentences metered out are reflective of our stance that crime will not be tolerated,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
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