Two men who shot dead a woman during an attack at a house near Ventersdorp in North West on Christmas Day in 2020 were each sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday.
In addition, the North West High Court, sitting in Klerksdorp, sentenced Moses Thamae, 45, and Chakale Lesenya, 35, to a further 100 years each on six counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
Thamae was identified as a former boyfriend of the woman killed during the attack.
The men had pleaded not guilty.
“Their conviction emanates from an incident that took place at Tshing where the two stormed into a house wearing face masks and in possession of firearms.
“They then ordered the occupants to lie down on the floor and demanded money,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame said.
Two of the occupants remained seated on the couch.
The intruders took cellphones from the occupants and then fired shots inside the house, fatally wounding one of the women seated on the couch. A male companion was also shot but survived.
The intruders also shot at other people who had entered the house after the initial shots were fired but they escaped unharmed.
Thamae was arrested at his workplace in Germiston on January 14 2021 while Lesenya handed himself over to the police 11 days later. The two were denied bail and had been in custody since their arrest.
Judge Samkelo Gura said the shooting of the deceased, who was struck by more than 15 bullets, was indicative of “the cruelty” of the attack.
TimesLIVE
Life imprisonment plus 100 years for two killers who attacked house on Christmas Day
Image: 123RF/ ALLAN SWART
Two men who shot dead a woman during an attack at a house near Ventersdorp in North West on Christmas Day in 2020 were each sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday.
In addition, the North West High Court, sitting in Klerksdorp, sentenced Moses Thamae, 45, and Chakale Lesenya, 35, to a further 100 years each on six counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
Thamae was identified as a former boyfriend of the woman killed during the attack.
The men had pleaded not guilty.
“Their conviction emanates from an incident that took place at Tshing where the two stormed into a house wearing face masks and in possession of firearms.
“They then ordered the occupants to lie down on the floor and demanded money,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame said.
Two of the occupants remained seated on the couch.
The intruders took cellphones from the occupants and then fired shots inside the house, fatally wounding one of the women seated on the couch. A male companion was also shot but survived.
The intruders also shot at other people who had entered the house after the initial shots were fired but they escaped unharmed.
Thamae was arrested at his workplace in Germiston on January 14 2021 while Lesenya handed himself over to the police 11 days later. The two were denied bail and had been in custody since their arrest.
Judge Samkelo Gura said the shooting of the deceased, who was struck by more than 15 bullets, was indicative of “the cruelty” of the attack.
TimesLIVE
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