A mob that rounded up three men accused of cable theft and a girlfriend of one of the men and assaulted them severely before burning them alive has been sentenced to four life terms for the gruesome murders. The 15 convicts, three women and 12 men, were also sentenced to eight years each for kidnapping and three years for public violence. The sentences will run concurrently.
They are Mluleki Xulu, Dumisani Mpofana, Bantu Marali, Lindi Mbinyashe, Unathi Kakalala, Mfuniseli Mbinhashe, Nombulelo Kitise Bakani, Zwelandile Boy-Boy Kitise, Yanginkosi Solani, Nkosinathi Dyantyi, Lungisa Mtyana, Zandisile Kitise, Nombuzo Mbinyashe, Mvelisi and Thobani Vena. Handing down the sentence on Friday in the Bhisho high court, judge Thandi Norman said the group from Ndindwa village in Xesi had no regard for the lives of their victims, Lwando Makinana, Ziphozihle Thimba, Nwabisa Melane and Vuyo Clifford Lamani, whose charred bodies were left at the crime scene for dogs to feast on. The Dispatch reported the mob was convicted in October for the December 31, 2022 attack.
The victims were stripped naked, assaulted and later burnt alive while their horrified families pleaded for their lives. The said cables were found at Makinana’s place, and the names of the two other men came up while the mob was beating Makinana. His girlfriend, Nwabisa, who is from another village, was caught in the crossfire after shouting at the mob, urging them to stop the attack.
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A postmortem report presented before court during their trial showed the victims died due to burns. It revealed their bodies were extensively charred. They had ruptured organs, and they had no chance of survival.
The court heard Nwabisa, with her eye burst from its socket, heard her child crying and ran away from the fire but was dragged back in and had her ligaments cut so she couldn’t run anymore. “When police arrived, there is evidence [before the court] that they found dogs feasting on their bodies. “They must have suffered the most horrific deaths,” Norman said.
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