Two murderers jailed for life

BUTTERWORTH police have welcomed life sentences for two men convicted of murdering a teenager and an elderly man in separate crimes.

Police hope it will serve as a deterrent to others.

Mhleli Ningiza, 25, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 19-year-old woman in 2012 and to an additional 10 years for her rape.

Both were from Centane, outside Butterworth.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch Captain Jackson Manatha said a case of murder was registered at Centane Police Station in 2012 after her body was discovered near Centule village.

“During the investigation it transpired that the deceased was also raped.

“Through the investigation Ningiza was arrested and police were able to directly link him with both cases of rape and murder.”

Butterworth cluster commander Brigadier Trevor Mey praised the Centane police detectives for their hard work.

In a separate matter, another Centane man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 63-year-old Tanana Gaja, also in 2012.

Yanga Malangeni, 33, was sentenced to another 15 years in jail for robbing Gaja.

Manatha said the deceased was last seen alive coming from a traditional ceremony on September 29 in 2012.

“He was found dead with wounds on his upper body on October 2 at a nearby maize field at Mcothama Village, Centane.

“There were no eye witnesses but Centane police detectives cracked the case and arrested Malangeni, who was aged 28 at the time.

“He robbed the deceased of an undisclosed amount of money,” said Manatha.

Sentencing in both cases was handed down on Monday in the Mthatha High Court.