A Shayamoya man who robbed and killed a 25-year-old tuck shop owner in Shayamoya, near Shakaskraal on December 24, 2018 was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Andile Mfaniza “Squa” Mthimkhulu (25) was sentenced by the Durban High Court on November 6, 2020, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of business robbery with aggravated circumstances and murder.

After hearing gunshots, the Ethiopian tuck shop owner was found by his neighbours with an open wound to his head, a t-shirt around his neck and three gunshot wounds to his knee, shoulder and stomach.

According to Umhlali police, neighbours heard gunshots from the shop where the man also resided, shortly before two men using cellphone lights were seen leaving the premises.

The neighbours found the victim lying lifeless on his back, stripped down to his underwear.

Three nine millimeter cartridges were discovered.

The tuck shop had been ransacked, and the man’s cellphone was missing.

Following several leads, Umhlali Saps detectives arrested “Squa” on December 27, 2018 at Buffersdraai in Verulam where the victim’s cellphone was recovered.

According to police the perpetrator had longstanding links to violent crime in the area.

Mthimkhulu received 15 years for each count of business robbery with aggravated circumstances and life imprisonment for murder.