Durban - A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of a metered taxi driver this week, while his two-co-accused are standing trial.
Zamokuhle Dlamini, 25, pleaded guilty to the murder and aggravated robbery of 21-year old taxi driver, Trevor Mbhele, who was stabbed on June 7 last year by a gang of men who wanted to steal his car.
Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Rishi Seegobin sentenced Dlamini to 20 years in prison. Dlamini is one of the key witnesses against his alleged cohorts, Siyanda Ngcobo, 20, and Mzwandile Shelembe, 18.
According to Dlamini’s plea, he and his friends had decided to rob someone of their vehicle because they knew of a client who wanted to buy a stolen vehicle.
“We conspired to rob any person we encountered of their vehicle. On June 7, we went to town to find a car. We went to Vather’s Tavern and started drinking beer. We also took ecstasy tablets,” Dlamini said.
He said he stepped outside the tavern for a little while when he saw a metered taxi.
Dlamini said he approached Mbhele, the driver of the taxi, on the pretext of hiring him to transport him and his accomplices to their homes later that night.
The unsuspecting Mbhele agreed and later that night, the group of young men got into the metered taxi and directed Mbhele to Edendale. Once they reached Nhlazatshe, Mbhele brought the taxi to a stop once he reached a gravel road.
Dlamini said one of his accomplices got out of the vehicle and approached Mbhele’s window. He reached inside the car and took the keys out of the ignition.
Mbhele got out of the car and tried to take back the keys. Dlamini said that is when he got out of the car and stabbed Mbhele in the chest.
Mbhele tried to run away and managed to flee towards some railway tracks where his body was later found.
Dlamini said he and his co-accused then got back into Mbhele’s car.
The next day, they crashed the car into a telephone pole and abandoned the stolen car.
Ngcobo and Shelembe have pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and robbery.
Their trial is proceeding.
Daily News