Mine shaft murderers guilty, four await sentencing

Mine shaft murderers guilty, four await sentencing
Mine shaft murderers guilty, four await sentencing

Four accused, Thabang Elvis Nthako (36), Samson Bhuti Makuwa (25), George Maswanganyi (27) and Bheki David Mokoena (33), who kidnapped and murdered two men, were found guilty by the Circuit of the Pretoria High Court sitting at Middleburg during a judgment on 11 August 2017.

The accused are scheduled to appear again before the same court for sentencing on 28 August 2017, on charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder.

They were arrested in November 2014 after police found Nthako driving a motor vehicle belonging to one of the murdered victims, Phillip Daniel Monkwe aged 50, who had been reported missing. When a probe was instituted, it led to the arrest of the other three, Makuwa, Maswanganyi and Mokoena.

A further probe also revealed that Monkwe had given the accused a lift when along the way they held him at gunpoint and instructed him to drive in the direction of an old mine shaft.

Upon arrival, he was blind folded then forced out the vehicle, placed near the mine shaft which was about 45m deep, then told to jump into the shaft, where he fell to his death.

During the investigation, the accused pointed out to the police the above mentioned scene. While retrieving Monkwe’s remains, police discovered another body which was later identified as that of David Vusi Majola aged 39, who had been reported as missing.

The four men were later linked to Majola’s death who was hijacked and thrown into the same shaft.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma is pleased with the verdict of the High Court and believes that it will impose the necessary punishment which the accused deserve.

South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCESouth African Police Service