Life sentences for hitmen who went on killing spree

THREE Eastern Cape hitmen, who murdered five people in a space of three months, have been sentenced to life in prison.

Three of their accomplices received heavy sentences, ranging from 35 to 45 years.

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

The hitmen were paid between R20 000 and R40 000 to murder people.

Eastern Cape Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said that 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 did this, and Manani and Piri killed Makeleni at his house in Quzini in April 2010.

“Sibanda organised more hits for them, and the two thugs killed Thozama Tenge in the same month at her Mdantsane NU 2 house,” Feni said. “Tenge had been accused of witchcraft. “In May 2010, Manani and Piri, through the instruction of Sibanda, killed King William’s Town police Captain Sandile Duka – and in the same month Manani murdered Nontsikelelo Sibamba, who was from Mdantsane and also accused of witchcraft,” Feni said. In July, Sibanda organised another murder. “Manani, Piri, Mini and Magasana killed Fort Beaufort loan shark Mshicileli Nditha,” she said.