Cape Town - A Khayelitsha woman has been sentenced in the Western Cape High Court after she was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hiring hitmen to kill her husband.
Patience Kwaza, 42, Loyiso Ludidi, 36, Thando Chwayi, 26, and Sivuyile Shasha, 41, were found guilty of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice.
It was proved in court Kwaza hired men to execute a hit on her husband, Pasika Kwaza, who was shot in the head and killed on June 23, 2016 in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha. According to the State, the motive behind the hit was to cash in on insurance and pension benefits.
The State managed to convince the court Kwaza had enlisted the help of Chwayi to have her husband executed.
He then hired Shasha, who enlisted the help of Ludidi. After Chwayi pointed out the Kwaza home to the two hitmen, he received payment from Kwaza.
As part of their plot, they planned a robbery as a cover up for the murder. The State said Shasha and Ludidi had entered Kwaza’s home with firearms and demanded possessions from the Kwazas while threatening them. They then shot Pasika in the head and made off with a cellphone.
Patience was sentenced to 12 years and 18 months’ imprisonment for her role in the conspiracy and her subsequent false statement to police. Chwayi, Shasha and Ludidi were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
Ludidi and Shasha were further sentenced to 15 years for aggravated robbery, three years for possession of an illegal firearm, and 18 months for possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrent with the life sentences.