Pretoria – Three people, including the victim’s widow, have each been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mpumalanga taxi owner Devilier Dan Zulu, who was shot in his driveway in 2011.
Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, the Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Seetsa David Mofokeng, 44, Mojalefa Christopher Matsobane, 43, and the widow, Thembisa Zulu, 47, were sentenced by the High Court in Delmas on Thursday.
In addition to the life sentence, Mofokeng received five years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm and three years for unlawful possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently.
The murder took place at about 4am on July 4, 2011. “Devilier Dan Zulu, 58, who was a taxi owner, was shot in front of his gate at Extension 15 Embalenhle. The case was assigned to the Hawks' serious organised crime investigation team in Secunda,” said Sekgotodi.
She said the investigation revealed that the wife had hired the hitmen.
“It was established that Thembisa Zulu, the wife of the deceased, hired two hitmen, Mofokeng and Matsobane, who waylaid the deceased at his residence. It was further established that on the day in question, the deceased phoned his wife while at the gate. After opening the gate, the hitmen fatally wounded the victim and fled the scene,” said Sekgotodi.
“An investigation led to the arrest of the hitmen on September 2, 2016 and the evidential information further led to the arrest of the wife of the deceased on 19 September 19, 2016.”
The accused were later released on R5 000 bail each.
The head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Zodwa Mokoena, commended the investigating officer “on his endurance to ensure that the accused face the full might of the law”.
IOL