The Gqeberha Regional Court sentenced Mangaliso Sibane (30) and Vuyisile Nkomombini (42) to life imprisonment for the murder of a Community Policing Forum (CPF) member, and an additional 23 years for various crimes related to a fatal incident on 12 December 2019, in Motherwell.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, the court sentenced them to 15 years for housebreaking with intent to commit murder, five years for the possession of an unlicensed firearm, and three years for the possession of ammunition. The additional sentences are to run concurrently with the life sentence.
Tyali said that on that day in question, the 56-year-old community policing forum member and witness in a robbery case was fatally shot at her home in the presence of her adult child.
“The two perpetrators, known local criminals, forcibly entered the house, targeted the victim, and shot and killed the deceased.
“During the trial, Sibane and Nkomombini pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
“Regional Court prosecutor, Temba Mavakala, led compelling evidence, including testimonies from multiple witnesses, including the daughter of the deceased, and a crime reconstruction expert,” Tyali reported.
According to Tyali, the police officers who conducted the identification parade confirmed that Sibane and Nkomombini were indeed the shooters, and the court found them guilty as charged.
Tyali added that during the sentencing, prosecutor Mavakala handed a victim impact statement prepared by court preparation officer, Eric Blouw, highlighting the devastating effect of the crime on the victim’s family and the community.
“The sentence should reflect the severity of the crime and serve as a deterrent to similar acts of violence in the community, the prosecutor argued, and the court agreed.”
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo said, “This sentence sends a strong message that violence against innocent members of our community will not be tolerated, and we hope, that this sentence will bring some comfort to the victim’s family and serve as a warning to potential perpetrators.”
“It can never be overemphasised how important human life is, and therefore we will be vigorous in our pursuit of these cases to serve as a deterrent to would-be murderers,” Madolo added, while commending the prosecution team and the investigating officers for their dedication and hard work in securing the conviction and sentence.
