Durban - Six cold-blooded killers showed no remorse at the Durban High Court on Friday when two were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 15-year-old teenager from uMlazi.
Their victim, Phiwayinkosi “Macala” Mhlongo, was abducted at gunpoint, beheaded and had his genitals mutilated in what is believed to be a revenge killing in April 2017.
His body was found near a stormwater drain close to his home in C Section, uMlazi, and his head was found at a school in F Section.
Mhlongo’s girlfriend was pregnant at the time of his murder.
It was alleged that the teenagers had planned to murder Phiwayinkosi because they believed he had “sold out” Ntshangase’s brother, who was killed by a mob earlier that year.
Two main suspects Njabulo “Nzure” Andreas Mbatha, 26, and 23-year-old Luyanda Zulu were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. Their accomplices, Thulasizwe “Thula” Nene, 21, Njabulo Mhlongo, 23, Simphiwe "Maviva" Ntshangase, 20, and Banele "Boy" Mhlongo, 20, were sentenced to between 13 and 25 years in prison on charges of kidnapping, murder and possession of a firearm and ammunition.
State advocate Krishen Shah argued that the men had shown no remorse for the sheer brutality and viciousness of the attack on the deceased.
“They have no remorse and its questionable whether they can be rehabilitated because they have not apologised and not told the court why they did what they did, instead they continue with their lies,” said Shah.
Handing down the sentences, Judge Mokgere Masipa said communities were living in constant fear because of criminals wielding firearms and other dangerous weapons during the commission of heinous crimes. She said that permanently removing the two main offenders from the community was the only solution.
“Murder takes away a human right to life. The child of the deceased lost a father,” she said.
Masipa also said other four suspects could still be rehabilitated through attending prison classes.
Outside the court, the victim's mother Thoko “Ntomblezi” Mtshali who was accompanied by investigative officer Zwelihle Majozi, said Phiwayinkosi was killed before he could celebrate the birth of his son Mnqobi.
Majozi said it has been a gruelling three years since he arrested the suspects.
“It has been one of the toughest cases I ever did - attending the gruesome scene was the most difficult part, the head was separated from the torso and private parts (testicles) were removed,” said Majozi.
With the exception of Banele Mhlongo, all the accused are expected to apply for leave to appeal the sentence on Wednesday.
Sunday Tribune