Durban — The Madadeni High Court in KwaZulu-Natal has sentenced two men, one for the murder of a Msinga police officer and the other for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Siboniso Linda, 36, and Nkanyiso Mungwe, 25, were convicted and sentenced in connection with the murder of Sergeant Mzamiseni Mbele, 39, in April last year at Weenen.
The Madadeni High Court convicted the two men on Friday.
Linda was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for murder and 10 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances of which half of the sentence will run concurrently. Linda was sentenced to 25 years’ direct imprisonment.
Mungwe was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said the two convicts approached Mbele on the pretence of helping him when his vehicle broke down along the R74 highway in Weenen.
“Sergeant Mbele had informed his wife about the incident and whilst stationary along the road, the offenders approached him with an intent to ‘help’. All of a sudden, Linda and Mungwe severely assaulted Mbele. They robbed him of his belongings and fled the scene,” explained Mhlongo.
He said the following day Mbele’s body was found by a farmworker and a case of murder was investigated by the Weenen police station. The docket was passed on to the Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation.
“The two men were arrested and charged with murder. Their bail was successfully opposed and they appeared in court several times until they were found guilty,” said Mhlongo.
Daily News