State advocate Sharon Hendricks agrees with the lawyer of former local DJ Luyanda Mona that a sentence of 12 years is too hefty for the crime he committed. Even though Mona has caused hardship and suffering for the families of the men he mowed down with his car, Hendricks believes the magistrate's sentence is too much.
State advocate Sharon Hendricks agrees with the lawyer of former local DJ Luyanda Mona that a sentence of 12 years is too hefty for the crime he committed. Even though Mona has caused hardship and suffering for the families of the men he mowed down with his car, Hendricks believes the magistrate's sentence is too much.
On Wednesday in the Grahamstown High Court one of the victim's sisters, Nomamfengu Liwani, broke down when Hendricks spoke about how Mona had left the three men lying in the road after he hit them. He didn't stop or make a phone call to ambulances, she said.
Mona was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in the Grahamstown Regional Court in January after he was found guilty on three counts of culpable homicide.
The charges stem from a hit-and-run in November 2006 in Nompondo Street, in Joza, where three friends were killed – Ayanda Liwani, 34, Zamile Makafe, 30, and Sipho Stamper, also in his 30s.
Mona's lawyer Ntsikelelo Sandi asked that the sentence be reduced because Mona was young and had been leading a productive and crime-free life before the incident. Sandi said a sentence of no more than five years with a stiff fine or suspended sentence would be reasonable.
He added that Mona's previous employer was willing to accept him back should he be released from prison.
Hendricks said the incident could have been prevented but because Mona was drunk he didn't slow down or try to avoid the collision and ended up taking three people's lives. For this he should go to jail, Hendricks said.
However, she said that in cases similar to Mona's the perpetrators usually only received two to four years imprisonment. She suggested that each count of murder should have its own sentence which may run concurrently.
When delivering her sentence during the trial in January Magistrate Onica van Pappendorf said Mona should have been charged with murder, not culpable homicide, because he'd had ample opportunity to avoid the collision.
Mona has already begun serving his sentence and the judgement of his appeal case is expected to be heard in court today (Friday).
