Client jailed for 12 years for murder
The Nelspruit High Court sentenced Sandile Nkenjane Khoza (19) to 12 years direct imprisonment for the murder of an Ethiopian shopkeeper.
Khoza was only stabbed the shopkeeper inside a shop in September 2016 at Magogeni Trust. This happened after the deceased gave Khoza a lesser change from his R100 after paying his toiletries. An argument ensued over the insufficient change.
Khoza ended up picking up a knife which was lying on the counter, stabbed the deceased on the chest and fled.
On his arrest Khoza handed the knife to the police and pleaded guilty to the offence.
Handing down the sentence, Judge Desmond Nair said small business owners must be protected from needless violence. He added that it is a pity that someone lost his life over the change remaining from R100.
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He then sentenced the accused to 12 years direct imprisonment and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Ms Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) said: “The NPA welcomes the sentence and believes that it will send a strong message to the citizens of the country, that foreign nationals are also human beings and are equally protected by the criminal justice system.
