Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Makhanda Fire Brigade praised by residents
  • Two deaths shock Makhanda
  • After a turbulent period, South Africa’s oldest campus radio station, RMR 89.7 FM, celebrates radio licence renewal
  • Makana Residents Association and Makhanda Business Forum to join forces
  • “It’s not like there are NO services” – Makana mayor
  • Makhanda mourns Eusebius McKaiser
  • Kivitts shines in a bonus point win for Brumbies
  • Crimes reported in Makhanda during first quarter of 2023
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Language barrier leaves shopkeeper dead
Uncategorized

Language barrier leaves shopkeeper dead

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailAugust 11, 2011No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

A local shopkeeper was shot and killed two years ago, because the man charged with shooting him made his demands in isiXhosa, and he didn't understand him.

Phumzile Bomba, 31, Mzowoxolo George, 38, and Phindile Bophani, 32, stood in an empty high court recently as their charges were read to them.

A local shopkeeper was shot and killed two years ago, because the man charged with shooting him made his demands in isiXhosa, and he didn't understand him.

Phumzile Bomba, 31, Mzowoxolo George, 38, and Phindile Bophani, 32, stood in an empty high court recently as their charges were read to them.

They showed no emotion as witnesses described the events leading to the murder of Somali immigrant, Abdullah Barah Shuk, in March 2009.

Witness Xola Aalwyn, 18, said George had entered the shop, owned by Shuk, and pointed a gun at the shop assistant behind the counter, also a Somalian.

Speaking isiXhosa, he demanded money and airtime. Aalwyn told the court that when the shop assistant did not respond because he did not understand the language, George turned the gun on Shuk who was standing at the entrance of the shop, and fired a shot.

Aalwyn, who was 16 at the time, said he too had been leaning into the doorway and believed at first that the gun was being pointed at him. “I had nightmares about this,” he said.

According to Aalwyn, George then went behind the counter, took the shop’s money box and ran out the door.

A second witness, Andile Makalima, 41, said he had seen Bomba run from the shop.

Later that evening, Bomba had spoken to Makalima at a local tavern. He had told him they had just “finished a job”.

During conversation, Makalima had asked Bomba if he was the one who had killed the shop owner.

Bomba had told him that George pulled the trigger. All three accused, who pleaded not guilty, are charged with murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Bophani is charged with two more accounts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The case will continue in the high court next week.

Previous ArticleSave your children – strap them in
Next Article Rapist pleads for reduced sentence
Grocott's Mail

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.