WeeklySA_AdminFire: The accused opened fire on four defenceless young boys who were looking for jobs
By Monk Nkomo
A walk around a farm in the Komatipoort district in Mpumalanga by four young boys six years ago, ended tragically when one of them – a Grade 11 high school learner – was shot and killed by a white security farm manager who suspected that the four were tresspassers who planned to steal.
Details of the horrifying incident were relived by witnesses before Judge Nelisa Phiwokazi Mali in the Mpumalanga High Court this week when 52 year-old Sarel du Plessis, a security manager who worked near Uniform Farm in the Komatipoort district in Mpumalanga appeared on charges of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. He pleaded not guilty.
A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa, said the incident occurred on December 5, 2018. Bhekimuzi Anele Ziko (18), his brother and friends were walking around a farm near Tendabosch in the Komatipoort district looking for temporary jobs during the litchi harvest season.
Suspecting that the four boys were planning to steal on the farm, Du Plessis drove towards their direction and stopped next to them. The court heard that he pulled out his firearm and started shooting at the four defenceless boys. Ziko was fatally shot. His brother and friends fled the scene.
Almost six years after the incident, the survivors relived the horror ordeal in court this week where Du Plessis pleaded not guilty on all the charges. The NPA said State attorney, Eugene Mathebula, led evidence from the surviving victims who told the court about what had happened on that fateful day.
After concluding that there was overwhelming evidence presented by the State against the accused, Judge Mali foud Du Plessis guilty on all counts and sentenced hm to life and a further 38 years in prison for murder and three charges of attempted murder.
Nyuswa said the State had argued that Du Plessis had abused his power as a security manager by killing a defenceless young job seeker.
Judge Mali found no mitigating factors that could justify the court to deviate from imposing the life sentence. The jail terms imposed, she added, should serve as a deterrent to society.
Du Plessis was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, ten years’ imprisonment for each count of attempted murder, five years for illegal possession of a firearm and three years for possession of ammunition.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently which meant he would effectively serve a life sentence.
