Truck driver jailed for ‘road rage’ murder
The truck driver had pleaded not guilty to the murder and alleged the gun went off during a scuffle.
DURBAN truck driver Mohammed Suther has been jailed for 15 years for “cutting short a young man’s life” in an apparent road-rage incident.
Suther was jailed in the Durban Regional Court on Monday this week for the murder of Margate man Richard Duxbury (35). Mr Duxbury was shot and killed on the M4 near Montclair in February 2012.
Magistrate Stanley Luthuli said there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentencing of 15 years, as it had been a “cruel and merciless act”.
He added that the sentence is not disproportionate to the crime. “In our view, the sentence would have been appropriate even in the absence of minimum sentencing.”
Magistrate Luthuli added that Suther had offered a false version to the court and persisted with it, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. “He had not shown any remorse for what he had done. Mr Duxbury was a young man with a great future ahead of him,” said Magistrate Luthuli.
Suther had pleaded not guilty to the murder and alleged the gun went off during a scuffle with Mr Duxbury. The truck driver alleged he was driving when two “big men carrying what looked like sticks” appeared in the middle of the road.
He said when he slowed down, one of the men jumped on to the steps of his truck and assaulted him. He reached for his gun and it went off.
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