THOHOYANDOU – THE two men who were last Tuesday found guilty of conspiring to kill Thohoyandou businessman, Goddard Mugwena in 2009, will spend two years in prison.
The two men were each sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, with four years suspended for five years.
Before he sentenced the two convicted hitmen, Vincent Phakula (30) and Moses Ntsenene (29), magistrate Johannes Coetzee summoned Mugwena to the dock and asked him if he felt pity for the two men and whether he accepted the remorse they had expressed.
Mugwena replied in the affirmative, and shook Phakula and Ntsenene’s hands to show he held no grudge against them. Phakula’s attorney, Adv Patrick Matodzi from Negota Attorneys, said his client had shown remorse. He pleaded with the court to be lenient and explained that Phakula felt that God had called him to be a pastor and to serve a lengthy sentence in prison would delay his calling. Matodzi further told the court that Phakula had no previous convictions, and he had three children who would suffer if he was sent to prison. Ntsenene’s attorney, Eric Tshabalala said his client was also remorseful.
He said Ntsenene was the father of two and was employed.
Tshabalala pleaded with the court and explained that Ntsenene would lose his job if he went to jail and would not be able to look after his children financially.
He also pointed out that the complainant, Mugwena, did not suffer any financial loss.
