Macia family spokesman, cop’s brother shake hands
FAMILIES TO APPEAL ‘ HARSH’ SENTENCE
MOMENTS after the eight policemen who murdered Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia were each sentenced to 15 years in prison, the Macia family lawyer and a brother of one of the accused shook hands.
“It ’ s not easy on you either,” said Macia family representative Jose Nascimento to an emotional Clement Mashego, the brother of Percy Mnisi.
In a packed court room at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria yesterday, Judge Bert Bam sentenced Mnisi, Meshack Malele, Bongumusa Mdluli, Thamsanqa Ngema, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi and Linda Sololo to 15 years in jail each for the murder of Macia in February 2013.
The taxi driver died in police custody in Daveyton after being dragged behind a police van and assaulted in the holding cells.
Handing down sentence, Bam said the crime was not premeditated. But he said he saw it fit that the officers, who did not show remorse throughout the trial, should serve jail time.
Members of the Macia family were not in court to hear Bam handing down the sentences.
But speaking to the media after the sentencing, Nascimento said he was happy with the sentencing.
He said he felt that Bam was fair and handled the case very well throughout the trial.
Visibly distraught family members of the former police officers refused to speak to the media.
But Mashego said the families would consult with their lawyers to lodge an appeal.
“The sentence was too harsh and we are distraught as the family. Police are being killed every day but the law is lenient on those who kill police,” said Mashego.
He said the hardest thing would be delivering the news to Mnisi ’ s two young children who are eight and five years old.
“I think they will need someone professional to tell them what hap- pened,” he said.
The former police officers, who showed no emotion, shook hands and waved to their family members when they were being led out of court after being sentenced.
Some family members could be seen crying.
Acting national spokesman for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Robbie Raburabu said the sentence would be a lesson to other policemen not to harm but protect communities.
“This will send a strong message to the police that want to be rogue out there not to do this anymore. They are hired to do the job and they need to do it good,” said Raburabu.
The sentencing of the eight former police officers comes a day after three police officers appeared at the Krugersdorp Magistrate ’ s Court on charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.
The police were captured on CCTV cameras chasing robbery suspect Khululekani Mpanza down a road in Krugersdorp.
One of them was seen later shooting an injured Mpanza as he lay on the pavement.