This is following his sentencing in the High Court of South Africa, Mpumalanga Division last week.

The court heard that on 11 September 2022, Sifisokuhle Zuzumuzi Yende (31) was at a local tavern in Deepdale, Fernie (Eerstehoek District) armed with a knife terrorising patrons.

At the entrance, he confronted his first victim and demanded money. When the victim refused, Yende stabbed him multiple times and robbed him. As the wounded victim attempted to flee towards the tavern building, he encountered the second victim Lebogang Emmanuel Njolo, who he stabbed in the left chest. Njolo was rushed to a local clinic but was declared dead shortly after arrival.

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Despite pleading not guilty, the state relied on strong circumstantial evidence, including testimony from the surviving victim and an eyewitness who identified Yende as the only aggressor.

Senior State Advocate Mahlatse Phaladi also presented a postmortem report confirming that the cause of death was a penetrating stab wound to the left chest. Based on the evidence, the court found Yende guilty of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

While the prescribed sentence for premeditated murder is life imprisonment, the court considered Yende’s circumstances, noting that he was a first-time offender, under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime, and still young. Balancing these factors with society’s interests, the court sentenced him to 20 years direct imprisonment for murder and seven years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances (to run concurrently).

This results in an effective sentence of 20 years of direct imprisonment. Additionally, the court declared Yende unfit to possess a firearm under Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

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