Mamelodi killer of e-hailing driver to serve lengthy prison sentence

The Pretoria High Court handed down a hefty sentence to Buti Alfred Samoen (42) of Mamelodi for the murder of 27-year-old e-hailing taxi driver, Modingoane Pitjadi.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment and 30 years for two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

He was also sentenced to 10 years in jail for attempted murder, five years for kidnapping and five years for assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm, she adds.

The sentences also include three years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, two years for unlawful possession of ammunition, two years for pointing a firearm and two years for malicious property damage.

She says the court ordered that the life sentence run concurrently with the other sentences, except for the two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, which means an effective sentence of life and 30 years.

On April 10, 2022, Pitjadi was driving his Hyundai Accent back from dropping his friends in Nellmapius when he was hijacked and kidnapped by Samoen.

Samoen took Pitjadi to his home in Mamelodi East, where he killed him and dumped his body at Phomolong informal settlement.

Mahanjana says that on the same day, Samoen and his accomplice were driving in Pitjadi’s vehicle when they stopped another vehicle in Moretlwa Street, Mamelodi East, and robbed the driver and his family of their cellphones, car keys, driver’s licence, and other cards.

Samoen fired a shot through the passenger door that struck the car owner’s 27-year-old son in the leg after. Samoen and his accomplice then fled the scene.

Mahanjana says the victim opened a case against them.

“Samoen proceeded to his family residence in Mamelodi where he accused his cousin of stealing his USB. During the argument, he assaulted him with a firearm in the head. He also threatened his aunt with the same firearm and then fled.”

On May 8, 2022, Samoen returned to his family residence where he broke windowpanes and clay pots, insisting on staying at the home before leaving of his own accord.

Police found and arrested Samoen at his girlfriend’s home in Nellmapius on June 22, 2022. He has been in custody since.

Mahanjana says Samoen pleaded guilty to the charge of malicious property damage but not guilty to other charges preferred against him.

However, the state was able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Samoen would later ask the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentences because he had two dependent children, and asked the court to consider the time he had spent in custody already.

However, state prosecutor Advocate Thembile Nyakama argued that Samoen was not a first-time offender and had previous convictions of malicious property damage, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault, kidnapping, and housebreaking. He also had two pending cases of attempted murder against him.

She added that Samoen cannot be rehabilitated outside the prison walls because he committed the offences he has been convicted of while on parole.

Furthermore, Nyakama said Samoen was not remorseful and that during his term in prison, he was allowed to transform his life but failed to do so. Therefore, she asked the court not to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentences.

She also handed in a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) compiled by the court preparation officer, Lebohang Lebese, where Pitjadi’s sister recounted how her brother’s death had affected her and her family.

In another VIS, Samoen’s aunt and cousin also stated how they feared Samoen and how his actions had affected their family.

Acting Judge Matlapeng agreed that Samoen showed no remorse for his actions, and killed Pitjadi in a gruesome way.

The judge said he found no substantial and compelling circumstances for a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences.

Mahanjana said the NPA welcomed the sentencing of the man who committed violent crimes and terrorised the community of Mamelodi.