Four men found guilty of murdering a Bedford resident were given heavy jail sentences at the Eastern Cape High Court in Grahamstown on Wednesday.
Four men found guilty of murdering a Bedford resident were given heavy jail sentences at the Eastern Cape High Court in Grahamstown on Wednesday.
Mthuthuzeli Ndamase, 28 and Sibusiso Mgwetyibane, 26, from Debenek, Lubabalo Benco, 23, from Ngqeleni, and Xolani Mgamle, 22, from Centane, were convicted of the murder, and robbery with aggravating circumstances, of Vivian John Tait, in Bedford.
The incident took place in June 2009 and all the men, except Ndamase, were also found guilty of unlawful possession of fully automatic firearms, unlawful possession of semi-automatic firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition. According to the charge sheet, on 19 June, 2009, the men went to Tait’s shop in Bedford and robbed him of around R75 000 in cash.
They had in their possession two R5 assault rifles and two 9mm Parabellum cartridges. It is alleged that, in the course of the robbery, several shots were fired and that Tait was shot with a pistol and died on the scene. According to the post-mortem report, the cause of his death was due to a penetrating gunshot wound in his abdomen and chest.
Justice Jean Nepgen found Ndamase guilty for Tait's robbery and murder, but adjudged him an accessory to the crime. The other three men were found guilty on all five counts, as charged. Ndamase was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, while the other three men were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 18 years for robbery, 15 years for unlawful possession of fully automatic firearms, 15 years for unlawful possession of semi-automatic firearms and six years for unlawful possession of ammunition.
