Manager appeals in meat killing case

SEVEN years after being sentenced, a supermarket manager has turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal hoping it will set aside his convictions for kidnapping, culpable homicide and possession of an AK47.

Yunus Mohamed Asmal, 49, of Kranskop near Greytown, had earlier succeeded in having his initial murder conviction (and life sentence) changed to culpable homicide, which got him four years.

Apart from the life sentence imposed in 2008, the Pietermaritzburg High Court had sentenced Asmal to eight years for kidnapping and 15 years for possessing the AK47.

Asmal’s latest appeal is a sequel to the unlawful death of a supermarket employee, Wanda Gasa, who lived at Asmal’s residence.

He was convicted along with two other employees – Mondli Majozi, 27, and Tholinhlanhal Nyathikazi, 37.

Asmal first challenged his convictions and sentence in the Provincial Appeal Court.

The judges there set aside the murder conviction and halved the sentence for kidnapping.

The court however confirmed his 15 year sentence for possessing the weapon.

It emerged at trial that Gasa had been accused of stealing meat. His body was found at a beach in La Mercy.

Advocate Adrian Collingwood, acting for Asmal, submitted in papers filed in the Supreme Court of Appeal that the rifle had no bullets and no magazine when police found it. It was not used in any crime and was unrelated to the kidnapping and culpable homicide convictions, he said.

The State asked that the 15 year sentence be reduced to 10.