The two men convicted of attacking James Joseph Gunn (72) at his Perch Road, Ramsgate home on December 15 last year have been sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Nkosinathi Zulu (28) was sentenced to five years for house breaking, 20 years for murder and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, while Nhlanhla Susha (32) was sentenced to five years for housebreaking, 20 years for murder, and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. He also received an extra five years’ imprisonment for an additional case to which he was linked by fingerprints.
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Mr Gunn was looking forward to spending Christmas with his son, Graeme, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was scheduled to fly to the United States two days after he died.
Graeme became worried after several attempts to contact his father, who lived alone, were unsuccessful.
He called on family friend Johnny Louch for assistance. Mr Louch found the elderly man tied up in lounge, lying in a pool of blood. He had been stabbed and struck on the head.
He was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Durban hospital were he died on Tuesday, December 18.
Police investigation
Margate detectives, Detective Sergeant Michelle van Niekerk, Detective Warrant Officer Michael Welsh, Sergeant Bonginkosi Mbhele, Constable Sandile Xolo and Sgt Robert Senzo Mlambo followed up on information, and the two men were arrested.
“It was a difficult case as there were no witnesses. We worked long hours and, with no forensic evidence, we had hit a brick wall. The most important asset we have is team work, and without my colleagues this case would still be open,” said Det/Sgt Van Niekerk, who headed up the investigation.
Mr Gunn’s cellphone and laptop were stolen at the time of the attack and Sgt Van Niekerk managed to trace the cellphone to Shobashobane, Izingolweni on December 22.
The arrest
“The woman who was in possession of the stolen phone said she had paid a man at the Margate Taxi Rank R100 for it on the day of the attack. Using this information, Det/W/O Welsh arrested Zulu near the scene of the crime in Perch Road, Ramsgate. Susha was arrested shortly thereafter,” said Det/Sgt Van Niekerk.
Court
Both suspects appeared in the Ramsgate Magistrate’s Court on January 10, 2019. They did not apply for bail.
On January 24 the case was transferred to the Port Shepstone Regional Court, and again to the Pietermaritzburg High Court for sentencing.
Uvongo attack
In a separate case, Mzolozi Noqhanza (24) from the Masinenge informal settlement was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for attempted murder and 10 years for house robbery in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court.
Noqhanza was arrested by Det/Sgt Van Niekerk and Det/W/O Welsh after an attack on a Uvongo family at their home in February 2018.
The woman was stabbed before her assailant fled with stolen property. He was arrested on the same day and was linked to the crime by his fingerprints.
Margate station commander, Brigadier William Slabbert commended all officers who worked tirelessly to ensure that these criminals were brought to book.
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