Johannesburg - Four men who were part of a syndicate that hijacked rental vehicles in Soweto and later sold them to “agents” have been found guilty of murdering one of their victims.
Although Lawrence Zwane was found to be the one who fired the shot that killed Richard Mutheiwana Khakhu, the judge said common purpose applied in this instance and
also convicted his three co-accused, Thabo Mayekiso, Sicelo Siwela and Philani Skhosana.
The nine-man syndicate consisted of Zwane, Mayekiso, Siwela, Skhosana, Bheki Nkabinde, Thokozani Buthelezi, Joseph Nkosi, Ralph Mazibuko and Musawenkosi Nene. The latter has since died in custody.
The men’s reign of terror is believed to have started in 2010, when they targeted people driving rental vehicles. Drivers would be accosted as they opened the gates to their homes or while off loading luggage from vehicles once they reached their destinations.
The gang would, at gunpoint, then tell their victims not to die for vehicles they did not own.
Elias Oupa Khumalo, one of their own who turned State witness, told the police that the gang – which operated mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays – would remove spare wheels before selling the hijacked vehicles. They would then use the money to buy petrol for their next hijacking mission.
Some vehicles were valued at about R200 000 but were sold for as little as R7 000. The men were arrested in 2013 and slapped with 21 charges that included racketeering, murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
Handing down his verdict in the high court sitting in Palm Ridge on Monday, Judge Mark Hayes said there was a similar pattern in how the vehicles were hijacked.
Despite a gun being used in the hijackings and the fact that some people were being shot at, Khakhu was the only who died at the hands of the syndicate.
Judge Hayes said Khakhu’s son Baldwin had testified that on that fateful day, he was in the kitchen preparing food and that his father had been in the lounge when Zwane broke the door and entered the house carrying a gun. He ordered the two to lie on the floor and asked about their car. Baldwin fetched the car keys from the bedroom and Mayekiso took them.
Zwane also took Khakhu’s gun, and as he and Siwela hastily left the house, he dropped it.
“As Zwane and Siwela were leaving, he (Baldwin) saw his father stand to get a better view of the robbers. Zwane turned, fired a shot and Khakhu fell.
“I find the son a reliable witness whose observation and recollections were precise. I find his testimony, though sad and understandably tinged with grief, clear and honest,” the judge said.
Skhosana tried to distance himself from the robbery and murder of Khakhu. But the judge found that he also took part in the crimes as he was the one who looked for a place to hide Khakhu’s car. “If he was innocent, why would he concern himself with hiding a car of someone who had just been killed?” Judge Hayes asked.
The men were convicted on some of the charges and acquitted on others, but were all found guilty of racketeering. They are to be sentenced on November 24.
The Star