Terry Jabulani Ngomane (35) was sentenced to an effective 25 years in prison for the brutal murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances of a pensioner and ex-police officer at his home in Theunissen.
Ngomane was convicted on Friday 23 May by the Theunissen regional court on both charges, receiving 20 years imprisonment for murder and 10 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. Five years of the robbery sentence will run concurrently with the murder sentence, meaning he will serve an effective 25 years behind bars.
The court heard that the incident happened on the night of 13 May 2018, when the 68-year-old deceased Sabata Tsoai, was attacked while at his residence. His hands and feet were tied with cables, brutally assaulted and killed. His body was discovered a day later, with his property scattered throughout the house in Theunissen.
A firearm safe was found open with a missing firearm and his cellphone.
The relentless investigation by Constable Sechele Machesa who upon receiving the case in 2020, worked tirelessly to gather enough evidence that assisted him to locate and arrest the murderer in 2021. His evidence gathering skills and investigation proved crucial in securing the conviction. The prosecution team, led by Advocate Edwin Munyai and Dr. Itumeleng Maklein, successfully relied solely on circumstantial evidence to secure a conviction on both charges.
This conviction and sentence serve as a testament to the dedication of the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority in ensuring that perpetrators of heinous crimes are brought to justice.