Life in prison for 'uncivilised' sergeant

A former air force sergeant and MK member who shot and killed an officer and wounded another has been sentenced to life in prison by the Pretoria High Court.

Samuel Mandla Madonsela, 40, shot dead Lieutenant-Colonel Authon Dominic Stevens and wounded Lieutenant-Colonel Isak Karan at Thaba Tshwane Air Force College on November 8 2007.

Madonsela sat quietly in the dock as Judge Peter Mabuse sentenced him to life for murder and seven years for attempted murder. The sentences will run concurrently.

"You were fully aware that there were other, civilised, ways to solve problems than to use a firearm," said Mabuse.

"A person who solves problem in an uncivilised manner must expect that society will come down hard on him. That behaviour belonged on the streets, not in the workplace."

Mabuse said the murder was premeditated because Madonsela was fully aware that undeclared firearms were not allowed.

"The deceased was killed in his office where he thought he was safe.

"He was unarmed, defenceless and executing his duties. He was shot more than once in the chest and around the heart," said Mabuse.

Karan spent two weeks in the intensive care unit of a hospital and returned to work a month later.

Madonsela earlier told the court that he lived with his children in an RDP house and grew up with no father figure .

He said his life would be destroyed if he were sent to prison.

Madonsela said the incident happened on the spur of the moment. He said he was innocent and wrongly convicted.

The judge said Madonsela showed no remorse by insisting that he was innocent.

"The deceased was married with two children and he was someone who could have guarded and cared for them until they were older. His death left his wife a widow and she has to raise her children alone and there is financial burden imposed on her," he said.

"No matter what kind of sentence you get, it will not bring him back and the children will never see their father again. I do not see any evidence that will make me reduce your sentence."

Madonsela was absorbed into the defence force in 1994 and he served for 14 years until being discharged after the shooting.

He registered for an o fficer formative c ourse at the SA Air Force C ollege in Thaba Tshwane between February and April 2007 but was "chased" away from college "as I was made to believe I was redundant".

He re-registered and seven days before completing the course was allegedly told that he was a "redundant k*****" who would never serve in any defence force office and would "die poor".