Son shoots father with AK47

SIMTHEMBILE Jakalashe (24) was recently found guilty of murdering his father and was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Judge Gregory Kruger sentenced Jakalashe in the Ramsgate High Court. He had been in custody for 19 months.

According to the state, Jakalashe shot his father, David Mtheteleli Dlali (54), with an AK47 rifle on his Strydberg Farm, Cedarville on June 10, 2012.

In closing, state prosecutor Denardo MacDonald, said Jakalashe showed none of the same dignity or mercy that his father showed him by giving him a roof over his head, regular income and the responsibility of running his farm.

“Instead, he shot him at close range with extremely large firearm in the back of the head, so he couldn’t explain or defend himself. He then loaded his father into the bin of the bakkie and left  him to die.”

Judge Kruger said the court found the murder to be a premeditated act.

During his judgement, Judge Kruger, said Jakalashe concocted a story which caused the police and everyone else to focus their attention on three unknown men, who Jakalashe claimed he had last seen his father with.

He also said Jakalashe’s version that he acted in self-defence (against his father) cannot be reasonable possible and rejected it as false.

Before handing down his verdict, Judge Kruger said that his council had submitted that Jakalashe was 22 years old at the time of murder, had no previous convictions, he is solely responsible for paying maintenance for his only child and had a traumatic upbringing.

The court heard that Jakalashe’s mother died when he was two years old, and the man he thought was his father died when he was 10 years old.

He then discovered, at the age of 15, that his father was in fact Mr Dlali. Jakalashe’s grandmother, who had raised him, died in 2009.

Judge Kruger said Mr Dlali was a respected person in the community, a parliamentarian and a businessman who supported all six his children.

He said evidence from the state witness indicated that Jakalashe was angry because he needed money from his father.

“Jakalashe was aggressive and demanded money and when his father refused he shot him at close range. Unfortunately, you decided not to tell the truth and that would have been a sign of your remorse,” explained Judge Kruger.

“You killed your father and you will have to live with that for the rest of your life, and no doubt, it will continue to haunt you. I trust you seek forgiveness and are shown forgiveness,” he said.