Pakistani businessman sentenced to two life terms & six years in prison

A 44-year-old Pakistani businessman has been sentenced to two life terms and six years of direct imprisonment.

This comes after Judge Papi Masopa convicted him of two counts of murder and attempted murder on 4 March 2022. Muhamed Sajid Khan appeared in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday for sentencing.

It is understood that on 1 February 2020, six members of the Concerned Tshwane Residence (CTR) went to one of Khan’s properties in Luttig Street, Pretoria West, to verify if he indeed was the rightful owner of the said property.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Lumka Mahanjana said on arrival at the said address, an argument broke out between Khan and a member of CTR.

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Mahanjana said Khan then opened fire on the CTR member and a bystander, who died on the scene, and attempted to shoot another member of the CTR team.

“According to the testimony of one of the witnesses who is a member of the CTR in court, he said after the shooting incident ‘the members of CTR went to the police station to report the matter when they arrived, they saw Khan and because of fear of what he might do, they did not enter the police station instead, but went back to the scene of the shooting’. The police later came to the scene and they reported the matter.”

Two days after the incident, Khan handed himself over to the police and was later convicted.

In his victim impact statement, the father of the deceased Avelo Mbewu told the court that his wife miscarried after learning about the passing of their 20-year-old son.

Mahanjana said state advocate Eric Sihlangu, argued that Khan showed no remorse for his actions and that the killings were premeditated because he went to the scene with an already cocked firearm.

“He, therefore, asked the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment with respect to the counts of murder.”

In handing down his judgment Judge Masopa said Khan was not justified in his action.

“He did not take the court in his confidence by testifying to evidence and explain why he committed the offences,” said Judge Masopa.

He further said Khan showed no signs of being a candidate for rehabilitation.

The NPA has welcomed the hefty sentence handed down to the Pakistani national.

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