Cape Town - Two Eastern Cape men who attempted to murder police officers in a court cell have been sentenced to an effective 10 years in jail each, in the Mthatha Regional Court.
Thando Myendeki, and Mnoneleleli Godfrey Kabane, both aged 35, were convicted on charges of kidnapping, robbery, possession of firearm and ammunition as well as attempted murder, the provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said in a statement on Tuesday.
She said in September 2014, Constable Malizole Vayisi from the Dalasile Police Station was serving food to prisoners in the Ngcobo Regional Court cells when his official firearm was grabbed by the inmates.
Officers who rushed to the scene found that the firearm had been used to shoot Vayisi and Lieutenant Colonel Ntobeka Mdlathu, who were however still alive.
Mgolodela said the court sentenced Myendeki and Kabane to seven years imprisonment each for kidnapping, 10 years for robbery, 10 years for the possession of a firearm, four years for the possession of ammunition and 10 years for attempted murder.
The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently, meaning the duo will be incarcerated for 10 years each.
In a separate incident, the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation unit arrested 13 suspects including senior officials, company directors and 11 companies at the Mogalakwena municipal offices in Limpopo province on Monday on allegations of corruption.
The officials are accused of receiving gratification from service providers. Some companies were allegedly also paid for services not rendered.
According to the Hawks, the municipality suffered a loss of over R15 million as a result.
During the operation, the Hawks also seized a BMW 1 series car belonging to the girlfriend of one of the suspects.
African News Agency (ANA)