The High Court in Bhisho has sentenced two Eastern Cape men to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of an Ethiopian shopkeeper during a robbery in March 2023.
Siyavuya “Luckiest” Thisani, 32, and Aphelele “Blee” Ntsinga, 28, were each handed life sentences for murder. They also received 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, eight years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and three separate five-year terms for possession of ammunition, all running concurrently with the life term.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali reported that the crime occurred on the morning of March 14, 2023, in the Njwaxa area of Middledrift. The accused approached the victim, whom they knew personally, at his Heleluya spaza shop, asking for cigarettes on credit. When the victim refused, the men returned shortly after armed with a firearm, demanding money and cigarettes.
“The retailer refused to hand over the items. Ntsinga then shot him. Together with Thisani, they fled with money, airtime vouchers, and cartons of cigarettes. The victim was rushed to Victoria Hospital, where he later died,” said Tyali.
The attack was witnessed by the shop assistant, who attended school with Thisani, and two clinic workers nearby, who saw the suspects fleeing with the stolen goods.
During the trial, both accused pleaded not guilty. Thisani claimed he was coerced by Ntsinga and feared for his life, while Ntsinga denied being at the scene. The court rejected their defenses, relying on credible eyewitness testimony presented by Senior State Advocate Nkululeko Mzinyati.
Tyali added, “The court found the deceased belonged to a vulnerable group as a foreigner and found no substantial or compelling reasons to deviate from the prescribed life sentence for premeditated murder.”
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo welcomed the verdict, emphasizing the value of human life and the NPA’s commitment to rigorously pursuing such cases to deter future crimes.
