Johannesburg -
A murder and robbery spree that lasted eight months in 2012 ended with nine people dead, including three on-duty Hillbrow police officers.
Vukani Ngcobo, 27, Bonginkosi Sibisi, 24, and Qaphelani Chiyi, 24, convicted on 26 charges including nine counts of murder, robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition appeared in the high court in Joburg on Monday for the court to hear mitigation of sentence.
Ngcobo, Sibisi and Chiyi shot and killed three policemen in two separate attacks before robbing them of their service pistols.
Their spree began in April 2012 when Ngcobo and Chiyi opened fire on Dube Hostel dwellers in Soweto, killing two people.
In August 2012, the trio were part of a gang of armed men that killed constables Lanah Rangani and Geoffrey Matlou in their marked police van on King George Street in Joburg.
The two officers were both shot in the head and the gang made off with their service pistols.
In October 2012, they were part of a gang that attacked police constables Nkosinathi Mgimeti and Philly Baloyi in Wanderers Street.
The police officers were also shot in the head. A pistol was stolen from one of them.
Mgimeti died on the scene and Baloyi survived after some time in hospital.
A month later, the three men, joined by others, went to the Wanderers Street taxi rank and randomly opened fire, killing four people.
After the court adjourned on Monday, Mgimeti’s brother, Jason, said the family were not coping.
“My mother has had a heart attack from the trauma. We hope the (trio) gets a sentence deserving of their crime.”
He said the family still had his brother’s car in the yard and no one drives it, because it is a sore reminder.
“When you look at them, they are calm and collected like they did nothing wrong. We want them locked up for a long time.”
The trio were remanded by Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng until Wednesday.
The Star