“Glen and Vida were shot multiple times and died at the scene. The men also shot their dog. Following this, they loaded the stolen items into the Raffertys' car and drove off. They were arrested after a month and a year, respectively,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Senior state advocate Attie Truter led the testimony of the couple's son, who told the court about the day he found his parents' bodies.
“He said he worked with them but had to sell the farm following their deaths as it was too painful to live on the property,” said Truter.
Ngwenya and Madondo were sentenced to six years for housebreaking, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and life imprisonment for each of the murders.
In March 2021, another accused, Sizwe Tell Zwane, 33, who was arrested in February 2021, pleaded guilty to the murders. He was sentenced at the Pietermaritzburg high court to 25 years in jail.
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Life sentences for men who shot dead KZN farm couple and their dog
Image: supplied
The convicted murderers of KwaZulu-Natal cattle farmers Glen Rafferty, 63, and Vida Homann Rafferty, 60, have each been sentenced to life and 21 years' imprisonment.
The couple were murdered on their Normandien farm, near Newcastle, in August 2020.
Doctor Fikane Ngwenya and Sibongiseni Madondo were sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Wednesday. They were convicted on two counts of murder, housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
National Prosecuting Authority KZN spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the armed men broke into the home while the couple were out. The men stole cellphones, jewellery, a laptop computer, a computer screen and a DVD recorder.
They tried unsuccessfully to open the safe. Ramkisson-Kara said the men decided to wait for the couple so they could open the safe. When the Raffertys returned, they were accosted by the men and a fight ensued.
Five people taken in for questioning in KZN double farm killing
“Glen and Vida were shot multiple times and died at the scene. The men also shot their dog. Following this, they loaded the stolen items into the Raffertys' car and drove off. They were arrested after a month and a year, respectively,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Senior state advocate Attie Truter led the testimony of the couple's son, who told the court about the day he found his parents' bodies.
“He said he worked with them but had to sell the farm following their deaths as it was too painful to live on the property,” said Truter.
Ngwenya and Madondo were sentenced to six years for housebreaking, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and life imprisonment for each of the murders.
In March 2021, another accused, Sizwe Tell Zwane, 33, who was arrested in February 2021, pleaded guilty to the murders. He was sentenced at the Pietermaritzburg high court to 25 years in jail.
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