Mooi River man sentenced to 25 years

Mooi River resident, Jeremiah Maphanga, will spend 25 years behind bars for aggravated robbery and attempted murder.

On the afternoon of August 2, 2004 Maphanga robbed a security guard in the Bruntville area of his cell phone and shot the guard, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.

The guard worked for Rhino Security and knew Maphanga as he was previously employed at the same company.The guard testified that at about 5.45pm on the day he reported for duty when his supervisor posted him to the Bruntville Community Hall.

At the hall, a community meeting had ended and the guard began packing chairs away, when Maphanga, his brother and a friend walked in and started assisting him. He knew the Maphanga brothers gave them R4 for helping him.

The guard had to check on another building and when exiting the hall he noticed two men wearing balaclavas. Upon his return, he was grabbed by Maphanga and his firearm was taken by one of the men.

The guard was forced to the ground, while pleading with the men not to shoot him. Despite this request, he was shot three times, with an instruction coming from a person close the entrance who said: ‘shoot the head.’

A doctor’s report indicated that the guard was shot on his chest, forearm and near the mouth with the bullet exiting from his cheek. Shouting for help, the guard got up and ran to the nearest house where the home owner managed to get him to hospital.

Meanwhile, Maphanga’s brother met them later at a house where they slept. The stolen firearm was sold in Estcourt the following day and Maphanga received his cut of the money. The guard was unsure how the men knew he would be at the hall that evening.

But the question remained, was the accused involved? Why would the people known to the guard not have their faces covered? The court figured that Maphanga’s plan was to kill the guard considering his injuries.

They also saw no reason to hide themselves. Photographic evidence from the scene showed a pool of blood and cartridges from the gun that was used.

The court questioned why, as security guard, he did not questioned what the men wearing balaclavas were doing there. A few other contradictions arose but the evidence was clear.

Jeremiah Maphanga was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment The case was heard in the Estcourt Regional Court on Wednesday (April 5).

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