A 41-year-old policeman, who shot and killed a pub owner, was sentenced to an effective 20 years behind bars.
Nocanda Brian Makhosonke was sentenced in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said Makhosonke was a police officer at the time of the incident and was in a romantic relationship with Tinyiko Nkanyane.
Explaining the merits of the case, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said on January 28, 2023 the accused found Nkanyane at a pub in Kagiso and started assaulting her outside the pub by punching and kicking her.
“A bouncer who worked at the pub intervened and grabbed the accused from the back to remove him from his girlfriend,” Mjonondwane said.
“Nkanyane then got into a car with friends and left the scene as the bouncer ordered the accused to leave the pub and not come back.”
The court heard that Nkanyane left after some time, returned with his service gun.
“He insisted that he wanted to get back into the pub, but entry was denied. He then tried to shoot the bouncer, but the bouncer ran inside the pub,” Mjonondwane said.
“The accused followed him inside and started shooting randomly in the pub full of patrons and left. He shot and wounded the bouncer and ended up killing the owner of the pub.”
Mjonondwane said he was arrested at his house on the same day of the incident.
She said in arguing for a harsh sentence, State Advocate Phaladi Makgoro argued that Nkanyane should have reasonably foreseen that a person could have been killed as a result of his shooting in a pub filled with patrons, but proceeded to do so.
In addition to 20 years for murder, Nkanyane received eight years for attempted murder and three years for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
“The court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently, and the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm.”
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