Jade Panayioutou’s killer gets another life sentence for another murder

Sinethemba Nenembe, who is serving a life term for killing Gqeberha schoolteacher Jayde Panayiotou, has been handed another life sentence.

Nenembe, 33, was sentenced on Wednesday in the Gqeberha High Court, for killing 78-year-old grandmother Denise Webber.

He and his co-accused killed Webber four months after he, Jayde’s husband, Chris Panayiotou, and Zolani Sibeko conspired and killed the schoolteacher.

Nenembe and Panayiotou were each sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, while Sibeko was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to commit murder.

Nenembe received a further 15 years in jail for robbery.

Jayde’s body was found on an open field in Uitenhage on 22 April 2015, with three bullet wounds.

On 20 August 2015, Nenembe and co-accused Mkhuseli Ngqanda, 34, Fikile Mengo, 25, and Thanduxolo Vumazonke, 29, accosted Webber at her home in Needham Street, Kunene Park, Gqeberha.

Webber was with her domestic worker when the men arrived, said police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu.

She added Nenembe, Ngqanda, Vumazonke and Mengo overpowered the 37-year-old domestic worker, took her inside the house and tied her hands.

Inside the house, the four men then strangled Webber to death.

The accused fled the scene with stolen property in a hired Toyota Atios. Before the incident, Mengo was working for Webber as an assistant to the domestic worker who was pregnant at the time.

When Mengo’s co-accused heard he was working at the house, they conspired to rob the owners.

After the murder and robbery, said Naidu, Mengo’s grandmother took him to the police station on 28 August 2015.

“Ngqanda, Nenembe and Vumazonke were arrested days later. They were all remanded in custody until the finalisation of their case. Police recovered most of Webber’s stolen property in the accused’s homes in New Brighton and Kwazakele,” Naidu said.

Nenembe and Ngqanda were each sentenced to life for murder and 15 years for aggravated robbery. The aggravated robbery sentence will run concurrently with the life sentence.

Mengo and Vumazonke were each sentenced to an effective 25-year jail term for both murder and aggravated robbery.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga welcomed the sentences.

“It is clear that these criminals are not remorseful for their crimes. Although this case has taken almost six years to be finalised, Webber’s family will find closure knowing that justice was meted out against those who had mercilessly murdered their elderly mother and grandmother.

“Their heinous deeds were intentional. We commend the NPA for ensuring that they are removed from society for a very long time,” Ntshinga said.