The Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Graskop sentenced Lawrence Menzi Mashego (31) from Marite and Ramodimo Sandton Mailula (32) from Acornhoek on Friday October 28 for the murder of Jabulani Piet Nxumayo and the culpable homicide of one of their co-assailants.
The provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, said, “Two men were sentenced for murder and robbery in a tavern. Mashego was convicted of murder and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment for murder, and 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“Mailula was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for culpable homicide, and five years for unlawful possession of a firearm and another three years for possession of ammunition. The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently with the sentence in count one. Both accused were declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.”
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According to Nyuswa, on July 30, 2021, Nxumayo was in a tavern in Ludlow Trust in Thulamahashe, when the accused entered the tavern and fatally shot him.
“They robbed the patrons of their cellular phones, cash and alcohol. They then instructed the cashier and the patrons to load alcohol inside the deceased’s motor vehicle (a Toyota Hilux) and they drove away with it. Between Enenburg and the Allandale road, they were involved in an accident, which killed one of the co-assailants, Zwelithini Kubayi (31). The police were alerted of the accident and when they searched the vehicle, they found the identity card and driver’s licence belonging to Nxumayo, as well as a firearm and some ammunition. This led to the arrest of the accused.”
The pair pleaded not guilty and denied their involvement.
“However, state advocate Thulani Msibi led evidence of various crime victims who were able to identify the two as culprits. They told the court about the specific role played by each accused and the sequence of events linking them to the crime. Msibi further led evidence of confession from both accused. Post-mortem reports for the victims revealed that Nxumayo had died of gunshot wounds to the chest, while Kubayi died of multiple blunt force injuries to the body.”
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She said during arguments, Msibi told the court that the accused did not show any remorse throughout the trial. “He said the accused violated the deceased’s right to life, and that human life has been senselessly lost at the cruel hands of the accused.”
