One officer goes to jail, four on trial

A Pretoria policeman who murdered a Rwandan street vendor three years ago has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.

Constable Joel Kekana, who was also handed a three-year sentence for possession of an unlicensed firearm, was sentenced as four policemen went on trial in Pretoria yesterday for a separate murder.

The four - a captain stationed at Diepsloot police station, northern Johannesburg and three constables from Honeydew police station - are alleged to have kidnapped and murdered Richard Mahlangu, 28. They allegedly dumped his body in the parking lot of the Diepsloot police station in February last year.

The men, who were fired from the police service last week, appeared in the Atteridgeville Regional Court yesterday for the start of their trial.

Kekana began serving his time yesterday.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesman Moses Dlamini welcomed the sentencing of Kekana for the murder of Paul Ndayambe in November 2009.

Dlamini said Kekana had shot Ndayambe after an argument over payment for meat.

Kekana, who was off duty at the time, had used his colleague's service pistol to shoot Ndayambe, Dlamini said.