Killer serves hard time for murder of local businessman
Two of the accused were initially arrested and sentenced on October 28, 2011, in a High Court sitting at Madadeni. 28-year-old Sicelo Thwala was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment each on counts of murder, robbery, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition
The third and final accused in the murder of 25-year-old Ekuvukeni businessman Rasel Rasel was sentenced recently.
Mr Rasel was shot and killed during a robbery in Ekuvukeni on March 19, 2011.
Two of the accused were initially arrested and sentenced on October 28, 2011, in a High Court sitting at Madadeni. 28-year-old Sicelo Thwala was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment each on counts of murder, robbery, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The second accused, 36-year-old Linda Hom Thwala, was sentenced on the same day to 15 years each on counts of murder and robbery.
The third accused, 28-year-old Zama Emmanuel Thwala, fled the area and was arrested in Johannesburg on December 16, 2012, by members of the Johannesburg Organised Crime Investigation Unit.
The case was given to Captain MG Buthelezi from Ekuvukeni Detective Services to investigate. The accused was brought back to the province to face charges.
On March 28, the Dundee Regional Court sentenced him to 15 years each on a count of murder and two counts of robbery.
The sentences for the two counts of robbery are to run concurrently.
