Pretoria – The Pretoria High Court sentenced 29-year-old convicted hitman Sibusiso Mtshali, from Vosloorus, Gauteng, to two life terms for two counts of premeditated murder.
In addition, the court slapped the accused with a 15-year sentence for three counts of attempted murder, six years for possession of a firearm, and three years for possession of ammunition.
Judge Joseph Masopa ordered that the additional sentences run concurrently with the two life terms.
During the trial, the court heard that on 19 May 2019, a taxi businessman, Convency Lawrences Twalawa was at his home in Zithobeni Bronkhorstspruit, with four of his friends when Mtshali and two unknown accomplices arrived and started to shoot at them.
Twalawa was shot and died on the scene, and Kagiso Zachariah Rampou succumbed to gunshot wounds in hospital.
Two other victims sustained gunshot wounds.
Mtshali was arrested on 24 March 2022 at Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court, where he was appearing on a separate matter of murder.
Mtshali has been in custody since.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) successfully opposed his release on bail.
In court, Mtshali pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
During the mitigation of the sentence, Mtshali asked the court, through his attorney, to consider his age when imposing the sentence.
The accused also asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence.
However, in aggravation, prosecutor Advocate Sipho Lalane, argued that Mtshali showed no remorse for his actions.
The accused had ample time to change his mind about going through with the crimes while driving from Johannesburg to Bronkhorspruit but did not do so.
Mtshali cruelly shot dead one of his victims while he was in the comfort of his home.
Prosecutor Advocate Lalane asked the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment.
Advocate Lalane also read into the record the victim impact statements facilitated by the court preparation officer Lebogang Lebese.
Families of the victims and survivors of the attack indicated how the violent crimes affected them emotionally, physically and psychologically.
A survivor of the shooting lost both legs. The gunshot wounds were so severe both legs had to be amputated
When handing down the sentence, Judge Masopa agreed with the state that Mtshali showed no remorse for his crimes.
Furthermore, he said courts are the only hope for society as this crime of contract murder is rife in the country therefore, courts must find a way to deal with them.
The NPA said it welcomes the sentence.
