ST FRANCIS BAY – Three men convicted of murder, attempted murder and aggravated house robbery have been handed lengthy prison sentences, including life imprisonment, at the Gqeberha Regional Court on 4 September following a violent attack at a St Francis Bay home.

According to police spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy, the trio, Bongani Faku, Lukhanyo Faku and Thobile Grootboom, who were arrested between 2019 and 2020, remained behind bars for the duration of their trial after the State successfully opposed bail.

“The charges stem from a violent incident where the accused trespassed into a residential property, committed an armed robbery and attacked the occupants,” said McCarthy.

He said the court sentenced all three men equally on four counts.

Further elaborating, McCarthy said they each received two years’ imprisonment for trespassing, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, life imprisonment for murder and 15 years for attempted murder.

The Sarah Baartman District Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, commended the meticulous investigation conducted by the St Francis Bay detectives.

“This sentence sends a clear message that violent crimes will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Kupiso.

“The meticulous work of the investigative team and the prosecution ensured these dangerous individuals remained in custody since their arrest, culminating in a successful conviction and life sentences.”

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