Upington man sentenced to life for double murder in road rage incident
A Northern Cape road rage shooting has led to a life sentence after an Upington motorist was found guilty of double murder and attempted murder.
Image: File
A 50-year-old Upington motorist who opened fire following a road collision on December 17, 2022, has been convicted in the Northern Cape High Court, Upington, on two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Northern Cape spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the court imposed life imprisonment on John Ivan Francious Mouton for the murder of Shadrack Dube and life imprisonment for the murder of Boiphelo Khumalo.
Mouton was also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the four counts of attempted murder, with all sentences ordered to run concurrently.
Senokoatsane said the case stemmed from a motor vehicle collision involving Mouton and Joshua Rock.
“Following the collision, the accused retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and threatened Rock.
"During this confrontation, Shadrack Dube, a friend of Rock, arrived at the scene and attempted to defuse the situation.
"Despite these efforts, the accused discharged his firearm twice. Rock subsequently left the scene, while Dube remained behind.
“Shortly thereafter, the owner of the vehicle driven by Rock, Boiphelo Khumalo, arrived after being informed of the accident.
"He was accompanied by several individuals, including an off-duty police officer, Ranchia Nokayi.
"Nokayi approached the accused to calm him down and contacted the police for assistance.
"While she was still on the call, the accused began shooting indiscriminately.”
Senokoatsane said both Dube and Khumalo sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
“The accused then fired at four other individuals who had arrived at the scene, including Nokayi. Fortunately, none of them were injured.”
During the trial, Mouton claimed that he had acted in self-defence.
“He alleged that Dube was armed and that Khumalo posed a threat. The State, represented by Advocate Mary-Ann Engelbrecht, successfully argued that the accused’s actions were unjustified and that he had deliberately targeted unarmed individuals.
"The court rejected the accused’s version, finding that he had the direct intention to kill Dube and Khumalo and that his actions were premeditated.”
Senokoatsane said the families expressed a measure of relief and welcomed the sentences.
“The loss of life in this matter underscores the devastating consequences when individuals choose violence over lawful conduct. The justice system remains committed to ensuring accountability for those who violate this most basic of rights.”
He added that firearm owners have a critical responsibility to exercise restraint, discipline and sound judgement.
“Road rage and acts of retaliation have no place in a lawful society. There are established legal frameworks and road traffic regulations designed to address disputes arising from accidents. Taking the law into one’s own hands not only undermines the rule of law but also leads to irreversible harm and tragedy,” Senokoatsane said.