Two men who nearly wiped out a family in Tshing, near Ventersdorp, were sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 100 years for murder and attempted murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Moses Thamae, 45, and Chakale Lesenya, 35, were sentenced at the North West High Court sitting in Klerksdorp.
They were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and a further 100 years each on six counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges.
"Their conviction emanates from an incident that took place at Tshing, near Ventersdorp, on December 25, 2020, wherein the two stormed into a house wearing face masks and in possession of firearms. They then ordered the occupants, who comprised three female siblings, their mother, a male companion, and a 12-year-old daughter to one of the women, to lie down on the floor and subsequently demanded money," said NPA spokesperson in the North West Division Henry Mamothame.
He said two of the occupants remained seated on the couch.
The two intruders took cell phones from all the occupants and subsequently fired shots at the house, and one of the women who was seated on the couch was killed; the male companion was also shot but survived the ordeal.
"The minor escaped with a scratch, while the elderly woman was unharmed. While this incident was in progress, and two of the boys who were identified to be sons of two of the women in the house, entered the yard with another male companion, and the intruders started shooting at them. They managed to escape unharmed."
Thamae was arrested at his workplace in Germiston on January 14, 2021, while Lesenya handed himself to the police on January 25, 2021, after learning that they were looking for him.
The two were denied bail and remained in custody for the duration of the trial.
He said Thamae was identified as an ex-boyfriend of the deceased.
IOL