Seven sentenced for murder of Komatipoort farmer

The seven men found guilty of the 2018 murder of Komatipoort farmer Deon de Bruyn (25) were handed their sentences by the Mpumalanga High Court on December 8.

Sifiso Madonsela, Solomon Msimango, Raul Mhlanga, Derrick Makamo, Oscar Chauke, Hendry Mahonga and Fannie Mkhabela had been found guilty of murder, the attempted murder of Estelle Jansen, robbery with aggravating circumstances, the unlawful possession of a firearm and the unlawful possession of ammunition on September 23.

Judge Hein Brauckmann found that all seven men had acted with common purpose, and there was no doubt in his mind that they had all gone to the Simonsvlei Farm in the Strydomblock area near Komatipoort to commit robbery.

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When reading out the sentences, Brauckmann said the seven men had shown no remorse for their actions.

He said, however, that while six of the seven would receive the same sentences, the seventh, Mkhabela, would have a higher one. Brauckmann said this was because he had been the shooter.

Madonsela, Msimango, Mhlanga, Makamo, Chauke and Mahonga were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment while Mkhabela was sentenced to life imprisonment.

According to court documents, the seven men had arranged transport to the farm with a man named Lawrence Sibiya.

Sibiya, who had testified against the men during the trial, said he had been approached by the accused to give them a lift to the farm on the morning of June 17, 2021, so that they could collect cabbages. He would then be called later that day to fetch them.

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Sibiya claimed not to have known about the robbery. After the men were dropped at the farm, Mhlanga and Makamo, who had previously worked on it, and Mahonga had come into contact with one of the security guards, Innancia Sambo.

Sambo recognised Mhlanga and Makamo. The three tied up Sambo’s hands and feet and held him at gunpoint. They robbed him of his cellphone. Mhlanga remained with Sambo while the other two went off in the direction of the farmhouse. Before reaching it, Madonsela, Msimango, Makamo and Chauke came across James Vilankulu on the farm and held him at gunpoint.

Three of the accused gained entry to the farmhouse and grabbed the domestic worker, Busi Tambu, from behind as she was washing dishes. However, she managed to escape and hid. The intruders came across De Bruyn and tied his hands and led him to the living room.

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Jansen was in the main bedroom drinking coffee when Mkhabela entered the room. A struggle ensued and the two ended up in the living room where De Bruyn had been kept. At least seven shots were fired by the accused and three bullets hit Jansen. One struck De Bruyn in the heart, killing him instantly.

Jansen testified that she had laid on the ground after being shot and could hear De Bruyn take his last breaths. She also testified that she had heard two of the accused say she was dead, and they removed her watch from her wrist as she lay in a puddle of her own blood.