Family of Ipid investigator welcome sentence of killer but worried the 'mastermind' is still out there

The family of murdered Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) investigator Mandla Mahlangu say though they welcome the heavy sentence handed to his killer, they are concerned that the person who ordered the hit is still out there. 

Family spokesperson William Mahlangu said their main worry was that there is still a mastermind who did not see a day in court and is out there walking free. 

“The main concern is that it is clear that there is a mastermind but that mastermind has not yet been arrested and it seems he is not yet known, according to the investigating team. The family is worried that the main man is not yet arrested,” he said.

Khumbulani Johannes Sithole was on Friday sentenced by the Pretoria high court to life imprisonment for Mahlangu's murder. He was handed an additional 30 years for housebreaking, theft and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition. 

Judge Papi Mosopa did not make an order for the sentence to run concurrently.

Stating how Sithole and an accomplice were contracted to kill the deceased for R50,000, Mosopa said: “No amount of life can be measured for that amount of money.”

Mahlangu was robbed of his right to life in a callous manner, Mosopa said.

“The accused showed no remorse for his ghastly deeds by denying in court that he killed the deceased despite overwhelming evidence presented in court.”

The judge further indicated that the victim impact statement taken from the deceased’s wife showed how she was robbed of the emotional and financial support of her husband.

“It is evident that the family will carry their scars for a long time, if not all their lives.”

Sithole, originally from KwaZulu-Natal, lived at the Vosloorus hostel and was accused of involvement in taxi violence in and about Gauteng. In May last year he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a Vosloorus taxi boss.

TimesLIVE reported that according to the police, a group of men arrived at a plot in Cullinan, where Mahlangu lived and was attacked about 3.30am in March 2020. They held Mahlangu and a worker at gunpoint. The suspects shot Mahlangu and fled, taking with them his white Nissan Hardbody NP300 bakkie and some household items.

Before his death, Mahlangu was part of the team investigating high-profile cases against several police officers, including one involving suspended acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane. He was due to testify in an internal crime intelligence inquiry into an alleged jobs-for-favours scheme in the police service.

William Mahlangu commended the investigation team for their sterling job and the judge for being objective.

“It has been a long wait since 2020 and there was a marathon of a trial in the high court. We are happy with the conviction,” he said.

“If it was according to the wishes of the family, according to us he doesn’t even deserve a parole. He didn’t show any remorse and we have been attending this trial from the beginning. He contradicted himself in testimony and it is clear that this assassination of our younger brother was well planned. 

“They took their time — they knew what they wanted from our younger brother. The only thing they wanted from him was to kill him.”

He said it was sad his brother had to die for R50,000.

“You ask yourself, does it mean that our brother's life was worth R50,000?”

Sithole’s attorney John Makama informed the court that they would bring an application for leave to appeal the conviction. This was set for next week Tuesday.

TimesLIVE

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