Harsh sentencing imposed on gang – SAPS Crime Report: 2021-09-28 11:34:29

South African Police Service

Office of the Provincial Commissioner Eastern Cape

QONCE – The East London High court handed a life term sentence and 23 years imprisonment for murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition as well as robbery to Luthando Liba Siphelele (25), Silumko Mdoda(30) and Mbongeni Simnka (26). This follows a 2016 incident where this gang hijacked a vehicle in Mdantsane, drove with the driver towards East London, shot and killed him and dumped his body at Highgate. They robbed him of his belongings and drove off with his vehicle to the East London CBD.

In East London, they gave a lift to a woman who was hitchhiking to Mdantsane. On the way, the woman’s suspicions were raised when she noticed that they have taken a different direction. She jumped from the moving vehicle. She managed to reach Cambridge police station as she had left all her belongings in the vehicle and had no money on her to continue her journey to Mdantsane. Police then escorted her to Mdantsane.

On the way, the woman spotted the suspect’s vehicle and police ordered it to stop however, the suspects sped off. Police pursued the vehicle until it was intercepted. On searching the vehicle, police found a firearm with ammunition and also noticed blood inside the vehicle. On enquiring about the blood, the suspects confessed to having shot and killed the driver and took the police to where they dumped the body. The deceased’s cellphone was also found in the possession of the suspects and the woman’s belongings were returned to her.

After sentencing, the deceased’s family personally came to see the Cambridge station commander, Brigadier Pumla Mdlankomo to give thanks and appreciation to the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Siyanda Tyokolo for the sterling investigative work that secured the harsh sentencing.

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