Lengthy jail terms for murderers of Kimberley businessman Piet Els

The Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday sentenced seven people accused of the brutal murder of well-known Kimberley businessman Piet Els to lengthy jail terms.

Morapedi Rankali, 32, Motlalentwa Qhautse, 42, Lizbeth Ndlala, 61, Themba Lawrence Maja, 63, Oupa Jeffrey Mahomane, 49, Samson Sam Mbokane, 68, and Jabulani Wilson Zuma, 67, faced charges including murder, housebreaking with intent to rob, robbery with aggravating circumstances, a sexual offence and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

On January 24 2018, the accused unlawfully broke into Carter Ridge farm, the home of Els.

“They assaulted and tortured both Els and his companion before robbing them of money, gold coins, diamonds, jewellery, cameras, firearms, and Els' vehicle. Due to the severity of his injuries, Els succumbed to his wounds,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said.

The accused were arrested in Kimberley, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

“During the trial, the court heard that Zuma, who claimed to be the son of former president Jacob Zuma, had recruited and transported three traditional healers and another individual to Kimberley to commit the robbery.”

Upon arrival, they joined a group from Lesotho. The traditional healers were allegedly brought to perform cleansing rituals for the perpetrators after the crime.

Deputy director of public prosecutions for the Northern Cape, advocate Johannes Cloete, argued that the accused acted with premeditation.

“He emphasised that this was not a random crime but a meticulously planned, cold-blooded attack.” 

Cloete said each accused played a distinct role in the crime, from planning and execution to the escape and attempts at supernatural cover-ups.

The court found the accused guilty.

Rankali was sentenced to three years imprisonment for theft. The sentence was suspended for five years, after having already served two years and three months in custody before being granted bail.

Qhautse was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. The other sentences for housebreaking with intent to commit robbery (20 years) and sexual assault (five years) were ordered to run concurrently with life imprisonment.

The three traditional healers Ndlala, Maja and Mbokane were each sentenced to 10 years for housebreaking with intent and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Mahomane was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. Sentences for robbery with aggravating circumstances (20 years) and sexual assault (five years) were to run concurrently with life imprisonment.

Zuma was sentenced to 20 years for housebreaking with intent and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“The NPA remains committed to vigorously prosecuting serious crimes such as murder and robberies with aggravating circumstances, which threaten the safety and wellbeing of our communities. Justice must be served for victims of crime,” Senokoatsane said.

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