Life sentence for Thornycroft killer
Judge said he could see no evidence of remorse in accused
A former Thornycroft Lodge employee has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the East London establishment’s owner, Elsa Remant-Eyland.
Jannie Fagans, 38, who worked for RemantEyland for 11 years and killed her in February 2018, was found guilty last Friday.
Fagans was sentenced to 15 years for the robbery. His sentences would run concurrently.
Fagans’s co-accused, Pumlani Mabaso, 36, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder, and an additional 12 years for robbery in the East London High Court on Friday. The third accused, Bekathina Msomi, 38, was sentenced to eight years for being an accessory after the fact and being in possession of stolen property.
Passing sentence, judge John Smith told Fagans: “You were the highest paid worker and trusted by the deceased, yet you decided to betray all that...
“You admitted that the deceased treated you well — in a manner that is no different from how she would treat her own son — but you went on to completely disregard that.”
The 67-year-old’s decomposed body was found on February 20 2018 by the police in bushes outside her Horseshoe Valley home in Summerpride, where she lived alone.
The gruesome discovery ended a five-day search for Remant-Eyland, who was last seen driving her white Toyota Hilux double-cab.
In mitigation of sentence, Don Mhlaba, for Fagans, submitted to court that his client was inwardly remorseful and that the court should consider a merciful sentence.
He said the court should not consider the murder as premeditated, instead it was the robbery that was pre-planned. But Smith responded that Fagans had already made up his mind to kill Remant-Eyland.
Directing his answers at Fagans, he said: “You made no attempt to conceal your facial features, knowing it clearly that the deceased would know you. To me it is clear you intended to kill her.
“I could see no evidence of remorse in you, instead I have observed an unrepentant criminal. I accept that when having to impose a punishment, there are cases where mercy will change you from giving a harsh sentence. Unfortunately, this is not one of those cases. “Society is eagerly awaiting a clear message of disapproval from the law, for they are sick and tired of having to live in fear because of people like you.”
Smith did say Mabaso showed signs of remorse. He had also willingly told the police of what had happened on the day of the crime.