Life jail for nyaope man who killed his dad
Johannesburg – The Gauteng High Court has sentenced a man to life in prison plus more years for murdering his father.
Last Tuesday it emerged that Brutus Mhlanga killed his father because he was fed up by him reprimanding him for smoking nyaope. The father was shot dead and his wife wounded in December 2017.
Mhlanga conspired with Caswell Ntsheula, Hloniphani Ntombela and Patrick Ziqubu to kill his father in August 2017. Mhlanga offered his father’s car to his co-accused and promised them R150 000 after getting his inheritance.
On December 11 Ntsheula, Ntombela, Ziqubu and a fifth suspect only known as Thando, went to Mhlanga’s parents’ house in Katlehong armed with a gun and a knife. Ntsheula and Thando shot and stabbed Mhlanga’s father, Shiviti Mhlanga, killing him. They also shot Mhlanga’s mother, Cokweni Mhlanga, but she survived. The men fled the scene in the deceased’s Toyota Hilux.
On Tuesday, Judge Seun Moshidi sentenced the men to life imprisonment and multiple years for conspiracy to commit murder, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and attempted murder.
Ntsheula was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 45 years, Ntombela to life plus 51 years, Ziqubu to life plus 63 years and Mhlanga to life plus 51 years.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said they were arrested after police received information that Ntsheula had a firearm without a licence.
“Searching Ntsheula’s home, police found one round of ammunition. When police asked where the firearm was, he told them that Ntombela had it. Police then went to Ntombela’s home but no firearm was found. He informed them that he had another house. Upon arrival at that place police found the Toyota Hilux parked in the driveway. They found that it had been reported stolen and that the owner had been killed. Ntombela was surprised as he was not expecting the vehicle to have been reported stolen, as it was a ‘down payment’ for the murder,” Mjonondwane said.
When asked about the vehicle’s keys, Ntombela directed police to Ziqubu’s home where a firearm was found. When police asked them where the vehicle came from, the men directed them to Mhlanga’s home where they found a murder scene.
Mhlanga’s mother was taken to hospital because she had a gunshot wound to her chest. Police said Mhlanga had his father killed because he was fed up with being reprimanded for smoking nyaope and using other substances.
Ntombela was arrested on December 12, 2017, and the other three men were arrested the following day.
“The NPA commends the work by police officers to solve this senseless crime, as well as the commitment and dedication displayed by the prosecutor in securing a successful prosecution,” Mjonondwane said.
