The North West High Court has sentenced 29-year-old Thabo Thakampana to life imprisonment for the murder of taxi driver, David Sekhola, at Kanana in 2019.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the accused together with two of his friends asked Sekhola to collect them from a local tavern to the CBD.
Sekhola and his two friends, who were also in the vehicle, were then robbed.
During the incident, Thakampana shot and killed Sekhola.
The trio was charged for kidnapping and robbery while Sekhola faced an additional charge of murder.
North West NPA Spokesperson, Henry Mamothame says he was further sentenced to 15 years.
“The NPA welcomes the life imprisonment imposed on Thabo Thakampana following the murder of David Sekhola. He was further sentenced to 15 years on each count of robbery after he robbed Sekhola and two of his friends of their belongings. The sentence was imposed on a charged for ammunition, five years for kidnapping and a further seven years for an unlawful firearm,” says Mamothame.
Murder in South Africa
Releasing of the Quarter One Crime Statistics 2022/2023 in August this year, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that 6 424 people were killed by other persons in South Africa.
This is an increase of 664 more people murdered, compared to the same period last year, when the country was placed under COVID-19 Lockdown level one and two.
Cele says the three main causes for murders remain arguments and misunderstandings.
“Retaliations and revenge murders were second motive for murder and vigilantism was the third most likely cause of murder in South Africa.The uMlazi, Plessislaer police stations in KwaZulu-Natal and uMthatha station, in the Eastern Cape, registered the highest murder cases during this period,” said Cele in August.
VIDEO: Police Minister Bheki Cele presents the quarterly crime statistics
