- A Mpumalanga man has been handed a life sentence in the High Court for murder.
- Percy Tlamama was found to have murdered a 56-year-old man in his home.
- He was sentenced to more than 30 years' imprisonment for other crimes.
A convicted murderer has been handed a hefty sentence for several crimes in Mpumalanga.
The Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Middelburg sentenced Percy Tlamama, 28, on Wednesday.
The court heard that in December 2017 Tlamama had entered the home of 56-year-old Johannes Moekwa in Siyabuswa, where he robbed the victim and shot him with his own firearm.
Cash and livestock were taken from the property, as well as a Toyota Hilux bakkie.
Tlamama was also found to have hijacked a VW Polo in Siyabuswa in January 2018.
"During the hijacking, the accused robbed his victims of their personal items, including cellphones, wristwatch and bank cards. Tlamama then went to an ATM and withdrew cash from his victims' bank accounts," police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said.
'The public will sleep better'
During the investigation, police received a tip-off that Tlamama had been seen driving Moekwa's vehicle.
"Police followed up the information, and on 19 September 2019 the suspect was apprehended. He then informed investigators of his involvement in the said hijacking incident," Mdhluli said.
The hijacked VW Polo was recovered in Mamelodi, Gauteng, and during its seizure, police also found a firearm stolen during the murder of Moekwa.
Tlamama was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years' imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 10 years' imprisonment for kidnapping, five years' imprisonment for the unlawful possession of a firearm and three years' imprisonment for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
The sentences will run concurrently.
"The public will sleep better knowing that the state has put one murderer behind bars for a very long time. We hope that this sentence will encourage our communities to continue to support the fight against crime by providing valuable information to authorities," acting Mpumalanga police commissioner Major General Thulani Phahla said.
Do you want to know more about this topic? Sign up for one of News24's 33 newsletters to receive the information you want in your inbox. Special newsletters are available to subscribers.