Cape Town – A police officer received a life sentence and seven years’ jail for shooting Lusanda Makosana dead and defeating the ends of justice following a quarrel at a party in Khayelitsha.
The Western Cape High Court ordered that the sentences run concurrently and further declared Sergeant Thanduxolo Mbonyana unfit to possess a firearm, said provincial National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
Released on bail after his court appearance, his arrest seemed not to have deterred him from his criminal ways. The confessed heavy drinker and cocaine user was arrested again September 3, 2019 on a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances, Ntabazalila said.
He attempted to apply for bail on this latter matter but it was denied. His bail appeal on August 27, 2020 was also dismissed.
Regarding the murder, Mbonyana explained in his plea and sentencing agreement that his girlfriend, Matsepho Manaiwa, and her friends – Asanda Magqashela, Tisetso Molelle, Luli Lusapo and Monti – had had a party at a house in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha. He had phoned his girlfriend, who told him that she was at Magqashela’s house.
He went to the house and found Makosana’s vehicle parked in the yard. On entering the home, he found Makosana standing in the kitchen with Molelle and Monti.
Without warning, he took out his service pistol and shot Makosana once in the chest. Makosana fell and Mbonyana shot him seven times in total, Ntabazalila said.
He then grabbed Makosana by the shoulders, dragged his limp body out of the house and bundled it into his own vehicle, in full view of everyone in the house.
Mbonyana then dumped the body and his vehicle in another part of Mandela Park. He had tampered with the crime scene, attempting to clean the blood with a mop, water and a household cleaner.
He collected and removed cartridges from the crime scene while assuring his girlfriend that she must not panic as he would fix everything. He then changed his bloodstained clothes with items he got from Monti. Mbonyana then washed his clothes at Monti’s place.
Makosana’s body was discovered on Sunday morning, March 4, 2018, with his pants pulled halfway down his legs. Mbonyana was arrested in Ekuphumleni, Khayelitsh.
The State advocate, Dail Andrews, told the court Mbonyana was a police officer who was supposed to uphold the law and protect the vulnerable members of society.
“He tarnished the trust and respected relationship between the police and the public, as they would always say that Makosana was killed by an active SAPS member, with his police-issued firearm, whilst being defenceless and unprotected.
’’He acted with premeditation and dolus directus. He acted with clear precision from the time he executed the murder to the time when he changed his clothing and washed it,” he argued.
IOL