Five get 30 years for murder
A GROUP of young men, all still teenagers at the time, have been sentenced to a total of 30 years each for the murder and aggravated robbery of a 57-year-old unarmed man in an unprovoked attack in Galeshewe three years ago.
The men, Othusitse Jerome January, Charles Lekululeka Mathabatha, Tumelo Percival Bodumele, Gomolemo Ikageng Mocoeneng and Andile Matstidisho Archibalt Louw, were sentenced in the Northern Cape High Court on Friday to 20 years each for the murder of Cecil Michael Malgas, who was stabbed with an Okapi knife while walking in the street with his girlfriend in the early hours of May 4 2013 in Galeshewe.
Malgas, a former mechanic at John Williams Motors in Kimberley before he was retrenched, was left to die in the street.
They were each sentenced to a further 10 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances for stealing Malgas’ cellphone as well as an unknown amount of money from his wallet.
The fifth accused, Louw, was sentenced to a further three years imprisonment for attempted robbery after he was found guilty of assaulting Venessa Hoogstander by pushing her and/or threatening her and then grabbing her cellphone out of her pocket. This incident happened the day before Malgas’ murder.
The sentences will run concurrently, meaning the men will effectively spend 20 years in jail.
High court judge, Judge Bulelwa Pakati, pointed out that after the incident the accused proudly and unashamedly spoke to their friends about what they had done.
“Although they were still young, there is no indication that they were immature and they have not taken responsibility for their actions or
BENIDA
STAFF REPORTER THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said Africa Month will be celebrated in Colesberg on Wednesday, with Premier Sylvia Lucas expected to deliver the keynote address.
Departmental spokesman, Morapedi Sekhoana, said the celebrations will take place under the shown any remorse.”
She referred to the reports of the social workers, which indicated that all the accused’s basic needs had been met.
January, whose parents are married and comes from a stable home, is the eldest of three children. His mother works at the Northern Cape Legislature as an accounts clerk and he received a good upbringing. He left school in Grade 9 due to peer pressure and was registered to study information technology. January was only 17 years old at the time of the murder.
Mathabatha’s mother died in 2002 but he was raised by his grandmother. His one sibling is a thirdyear Law student with Unisa while his brother is a qualified electrical engineer. He has passed his N1 and N2 at the Northern Cape FET College and was doing his N3 when he was arrested.
Bodumele is in a relationship with a woman and has a young child. His mother is a teacher at Mankurwane Primary School. According to his mother, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2011.
Mocoeneng was raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents. He passed matric in 2012 from St Boniface High School and was registered to study electrical engineering at the Northern Cape College but dropped out due to financial constraints.
The fifth accused, Louw, has a Grade 10. He attended Kimberley Boys’ High School but was expelled due to abuse of drugs. According to Louw, however, the drugs were planted in his school bag.
Judge Pakati pointed out that the offences committed were serious.
“The deceased was walking home with his girlfriend when he was unexpectedly attacked. He was unarmed and the attack was unprovoked. The accused acted in flagrant disregard for the sanctity of human life. They also showed no respect for other people’s property and their conduct was influenced by greed and was opportunistic.”
She added that violent crimes committed by young offenders in this Province – and in the country – were escalating at an alarming rate.
“Most of the victims are defenceless children and old people, like in this instance, and society expects the courts to send out a strong message.”
Pakati stated that in determining the sentence, she had taken into account the following factors: the accused were all first offenders; the deceased was unarmed and the attack was unprovoked; the accused used a knife to inflict the fatal injury and although they had consumed alcohol, there was no indication that it had affected their thinking.
She said that she had also considered the fact that the first accused was 17 years old at the time, while the other four were 18 years old.
“They have been found guilty of murder but there is a possibility that they will become responsible and productive members of society.”