Reign of terror ends as E Cape killers jailed

Notorious gang hired to kill five in three months

THREE notorious Eastern Cape hitmen, who killed five people in a space of three months, have been sentenced to life in prison while three of their accomplices were slapped with heavy sentences ranging from 35 to 45 years in jail.

Isaac Piri, 76, Vuyani Sibanda, 49, Ntsikelelo Manani, 39, Thabiso Mini, 34, Sakhele Magasana, 36, and Makhaya Qwala, 51, were sentenced by East London High court Judge Igna Stretch on Thursday for conducting a murder spree in 2010.

The hitmen were paid between R20 000 to R40 000 per murder.

Eastern Cape Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said they arrested the six after an informer tipped them off in August 2010.

Feni said early in 2010, a King William’s Town woman, Xoliswa Dingalubala, approached Sibanda to assist her by finding a hitman to kill her husband Ntuthuzelo Makeleni. Sibanda organised the hitmen, and Manani and Piri murdered Makeleni in April 2010 at his house in Quzini.

“Sibanda then organised more hit jobs for the two.

“After executing the Makeleni murder, the two then murdered Thozama Tenge during the same month at her house in Mdantsane NU2. She was murdered because she was accused of witchcraft,” said Feni.

Feni said the hired killers continued with their crime spree.

“In May 2010, Manani and Piri, through the instruction of Sibanda, killed a King William’s Town police officer, Captain Sandile Duka, at his house in King William’s Town.

“During the same month, Manani murdered Nontsikelelo Sibamba.

“Sibamba was from Mdantsane and Sibanda organised this murder because she was accused of witchcraft,” said Feni.

During the trial, the court also heard that in June 2010, Manani, Piri, Magasana and Qwala conducted an armed robbery at a business in Quigney and the spoils of the robbery were shared in Mdantsane.

In July, Sibanda organised another murder.

“Consequently, Manani, Piri, Mini and Magasana murdered Mshicileli Nditha in Fort Beaufort.

“Nditha had a loan business at the time of his murder,” said Feni.

Stretch said the killers formed an organised criminal group which conspired and acted with a common purpose and with the aim of committing murders for reward or assassinations and/or robberies.

“All of the accused and other persons, known and unknown to the state, and directly or indirectly involved therein, conducted, participated and or managed the enterprise or participated in conduct of the affairs of the enterprise formed part of an enterprise with the common goal to enrich themselves,” said Stretch.

The five-year trial ended when Stretch sentenced them:

● Sibanda to life and 30 years imprisonment;

● Manani to four terms of life imprisonment and a further 20 years imprisonment;

● Mini to life behind bars and a further 26 years; ● Qwala to 45 years behind bars; ● Piri to 35 years imprisonment; and

● Magasana to 35 years imprisonment.