Zimbabwean Nationals face life sentence for brutal PTA highway murder

The National Prosecuting Authorities (NPA) said two Zimbabwean nationals have been sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in a series of violent crimes, including a brutal attack on a family and the murder of a woman along a Pretoria highway.

According to NPA Regional Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the Pretoria North Magistrates’ Court has sentenced Zimbabwean national Norest Singage (34) to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman and 27 years direct imprisonment for two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“The court ordered that these sentences run concurrently. Singage’s accomplice, fellow Zimbabwean national Rodwin Maphinde (34), received a sentence of 12 years direct imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. Additionally, both offenders have been declared unfit to possess firearms.”

Mahanjana said the court heard that on 26 August 2020, the first victim was accosted by a group of men while praying on the R80 Mabopane highway.

“He was robbed of his cellphone and bank cards. Subsequently, on 12 September 2020, the second victim, along with his wife and children, stopped at the same highway and was approached by the same group.

“They were taken to a nearby mountain where tragedy struck. Singage, while forcefully taking the wife deeper into the mountain, shot and killed her. Miraculously, the husband managed to escape and promptly reported the incident to the police.”

She said following a thorough investigation, the two suspects were apprehended on 24 October 2020 in Marabastard, where Singage was employed as a vendor.

“Throughout the trial, Singage and Maphinde pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them, denying all involvement. However, the State, led by Prosecutor Lebogang Mokome, successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.”

Mahanjana added that during the sentencing proceedings, the accused, through their legal representative, sought leniency, citing their responsibilities to their minor children, and requesting consideration of the time they had spent in custody since their arrest.

Prosecutor Mokome argued against leniency, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the crimes, as the accused had deliberately targeted unsuspecting victims.

“The deceased brutally lost her life, and the husband lost his wife while the children lost their mother,” Mokome stated.

She further highlighted the prevalence of violent crimes in the country and urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentences without deviation.

When handing down the sentence, Magistrate Motiang noted that the two showed no remorse for their actions.

“There was no need for the deceased to lose her life as both were cooperating with the instructions they gave during the incident,” he remarked.

The magistrate reaffirmed the community’s growing frustration with violent crimes and stated, “It is up to the courts to protect the community against such offences.”

While he saw grounds to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence for the first count of robbery due to the complainant sustaining no injuries, he found no compelling circumstances to do so for the murder charge and the second count of robbery.

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