Farm murderer gets double life sentence

A farmworker found guilty of murdering his employers in Limpopo in 2010 has been sentenced to two life sentences in the Thohoyandou High Court.

Hawks Limpopo spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said in a statement that Gibson Banda, 38, was sentenced on Tuesday for the shooting deaths seven years ago, Rekord East reported.

“The bodies of Johan, 54, and Ann Jesle Greyvensteyn, 52, were found locked in their vehicle under a railway bridge near Kamukos farm by a passerby who immediately alerted police,” said Maluleka.

He added that “both had gunshot wounds in the head”.

Banda was arrested in his home country and extradited to South Africa with the help of Interpol.

“During the arrest, the police recovered property stolen during the farm attack and the firearm used to commit [the] crime,” said Maluleka.

Banda appeared numerous times both in the Thohoyandou and Pretoria high courts during his lengthy trial.

He was sentenced to a life sentence for each murder, 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, three years for possession of an illegal firearm and three years for possession of illegal ammunition.

Limpopo Hawks head Major-General Thobeka Jozi commended the investigators for their work.

“We believe that these sentences will send a strong message to all criminals that crime does not pay. We want to thank all those involved, the SAPS, National Prosecuting Authority and the entire justice system for making sure that the family of the deceased get closure from [this] horrific incident they sadly endured,” said Jozi.

– Caxton News Service

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