A  man whose mother turned him in to police after he confessed to a string of crimes was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, robbery and kidnapping.

Saneliso Tshabalala, 23, and Lungani Ngwenya, 19, were each sentenced in the Ezakheni Regional Court on Friday to life and 25 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Sithembe Mabizela, as well as robbery and kidnappings they committed in Ladysmith in March 2023.

Mabizela and a friend Siyabonga Makhaza who lived in a rented cottage in Ezakheni were awakened by the sound of breaking glass on March 7. Four men who broke into their cottage assaulted them and took their belongings. Makhaza and Mabizela were taken to a nearby bridge and told to jump off it but they refused.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, National Prosecuting Authority KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson said Tshabalala told them they had to jump as he was afraid of being identified if they reported the matter to police.

“Even though Makhaza was stabbed by the accused, he managed to escape, but Mabizela was not able to do so. Makhaza went to several nearby homesteads for assistance and eventually ended up at a police station. When the police went to the scene, they found Mabizela’s body.

“Tshabalala was arrested a week later after he confessed to his mother, and she handed him over to the police.”

Ngwenya was subsequently arrested.

In aggravation of the sentence, prosecutor Cwayita Ngcongo handed in a victim impact statement compiled by Mabizela’s granny. She said he was the family’s hope for a better life. He had left home to live in Ezakheni so he could study and was in his final year.

Tshabalala and Ngwenya were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years’ imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances, and five years’ imprisonment on each count of kidnapping.

The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with life imprisonment, and they were declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Source: Timeslive.co.za