Relief as killers jailed for life

Published Apr 1, 2015

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Johannesburg - Tears rolled down Vijay Moodley’s face as her sister and another relative held her tightly to comfort her.

Her muffled cries crescendoed as Judge Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele uttered, “You are both effectively sentenced to life.” The judge’s gavel effectively marked the end to the trial of two men who stabbed Moodley’s son to death a year ago.

At the time of his death, Veknesh Moodley had planned to propose to his girlfriend of 18 months by having 30 of their mutual friends hand her a white rose before he got down on one knee with a red one.

But instead, those roses were placed on his coffin.

On Tuesday, Sipho Ntshingila and Sifiso Fano Khumalo could not be bothered, laughing quietly as Judge Mphahlele engaged their lawyer and sharing jokes with friends sitting behind them during breaks.

“What’s concerning is the lack of remorse. Both pleaded not guilty despite overwhelming evidence against them. The deceased died a gruesome death. Upon realising the deceased was bleeding profusely, they fled,” said Judge Mphahlele in the High Court in Joburg yesterday, nearly a year after Ntshingila and Khumalo murdered Moodley.

Moodley and his girlfriend Jackie Jagar were attacked while leaving the Fordsburg Square flea market on April 26, 2014.

The two accused pounced on them as Moodley, 26, and Jagar were getting into their car. Their pleas for the pair to take whatever they wanted from them fell on deaf ears.

Ntshingila hit Moodley on the right jaw, while Khumalo went for Jagar in the passenger seat. Moodley went to his girlfriend’s rescue. He was then fatally stabbed.

On Tuesday, the pain his family still felt was palpable.

“My nephew was murdered for a cellphone, a handbag and a couple of hundred rand… that’s how cheap life is in South Africa. It has been a very traumatic time for my sister and his (Moodley) granny, who is 80. That was her first grandchild,” said Moodley’s emotional aunt, Maggie Naidoo, outside the court.

On Ntshingila and Khumalo pleading for leniency due to their rough upbringing, Naidoo said: “My nephew was a contributing member of society. He put himself through university… he was never handed things on a platter. Now we’re all going to contribute for his killers to get three meals a day in prison.”

Moodley’s parents, Soobramoney “Super” and Vijay Moodley, were glad the two men had been removed from society for good.

“I’m utterly grateful that no other mother will go through the anguish we went through (at the hands of Ntshingila and Khumalo). I’m (also) grateful for the principled judge we got,” Vijay said.

 

Defence lawyer, advocate Gundo Justice Lidovho, launched an application for leave to appeal, saying Ntshingila was linked to the crime only through a handbag found on his girlfriend, which had been bought for her.

But, turning down the application, Judge Mphahlele said: “The (same) girlfriend who failed to come and testify.

“What struck me is that both (Ntshingila and Khumalo) had been in prison before. They don’t want to rehabilitate. The accused had an opportunity to cease their criminal activities, but they went on to commit serious crimes. I’m of the view that no other court will reach a different conclusion,” the judge said.

She had also taken into consideration the trauma Moodley’s family had been subjected to, with Vijay having to take medication.

Ntshingila had three previous convictions for robbery, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and malicious damage to property. Khumalo had two – assault and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

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