Christine Gumira was due to be placed in the witness protection programme on the day she was killed.
The three men who were found guilty in connection with the May 2023 assassination of a would-be state witness were sentenced in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.
Mandisi Mofu, 27, was slapped with life imprisonment for the brazen murder of 31-year-old Christine Gumira outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, 12 years for attempted murder, eight years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and eight years for unlawful possession of ammunition.
The sentences will run concurrently.
His co-accused, Lukhanyo Meme, 34, and Vuminkosi Vumane, 39, received 15 years each as accomplices, having identified Gumira and coordinated the hit from inside the court.
All three accused were declared unfit to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Witness protection plans
According to evidence heard before the court, Gumira had recently agreed to become a state witness in another murder case and was due to meet with an investigating officer to be placed in the witness protection programme on the day she was killed.
However, Mofu and his co-accused interrupted those plans by shooting her in broad daylight as she left court on 25 May, moments before the meeting.
Taxi driver turned state witness
In a statement on Thursday, provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said testimony established that Mofu arranged transport to the court through taxi driver Andile Nqalathi, who later turned state witness.
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“Nqalathi told the court he collected Mofu along with Meme and Vumane; the latter two entered the building to track Gumira’s movements, while Mofu waited outside and swapped number plates on the getaway vehicle,” Twigg said.
“CCTV footage and cell-site data placed the men and the car at the scene,” he added.
The court heard that Mofu approached and shot Gumira at close range as she left the court, before fleeing.
A stray bullet struck a passing SUV, forming the basis of an attempted-murder count, Twigg said.
‘Thorough investigation’
The detectives traced the getaway car a few days later on 1 June with the help of the CCTV trail.
“Follow-up operations at an address in Lower Crossroads led to the arrests of all three accused and the seizure of clothing matching the shooter seen on video.”
During sentencing proceedings, presiding Judge André Le Grange shone the spotlight on the members of the Provincial Detectives: Organised Crime Unit for their meticulous work.
“Were it not for your thorough investigation, these accused would have been free today,” Le Grange said.
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