Johnson family angered by court sentences

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MEMBERS of the Johnson family have been left outraged as they feel that harsher sentences should have been imposed on two of the three accused involved in the robbery and murder of Peter Johnson (56) on a farm in Nyoni in 2015.

A joint statement by the family was provided to the ZO following the final day of a two-year long trial in which Thandiwe Cele (52), Nana Madikane (44) and Sibusiso Sabelo Zulu (24) were convicted and sentenced in the Mtunzini High Court last Thursday.

Cele and Madikane, who are said to have been the masterminds behind the crime, had been convicted of robbery, while Zulu (24) was convicted of murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravated circumstances.

Judge Busisiwe Masipa sentenced Cele to four years and Madikane to six years imprisonment for robbery.  Zulu was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. He also received 15 years for robbery and 12 years for attempted murder. All the sentences will run concurrently.

Judge Masipa ruled that the sentences for both Cele and Madikane would take effect from the time they were arrested and incarcerated in 2015 – meaning that Cele and Madikane would essentially be imprisoned for two and four years respectively.

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Justice not served

This didn’t sit well with the Johnson family, who wrote in a statement:

‘Judge Masipa noted in her final summation that, ‘if it was not for accused one (Madikane) and two (Cele), then accused three (Zulu) plus others would not have been at the Johnson’s farm.’’

‘The judge then said, ‘premeditation is viewed in a more serious light than a crime committed on the spur of the moment’.

‘Hence we feel their conviction and sentencing on robbery only, does not fully cover their involvement in the attack and we feel their sentences were inadequate for the crime that was committed.

‘As a family we recognise the hard work and effort put in by the investigating officer and her team.

‘From the mountain of evidence that was collected, we felt that harsher sentences for accused one and two could have been justified.’

Johnson died in a hail of bullets while his brother Ian (54) was shot in the face and leg during an armed robbery on their farm on 2 June, 2015.

Investigating officers, Lieutenant Colonel Bruwer and her partner Constable Naicker from the KwaDukuza SAPS, worked quickly and obtained information via informants about the suspects.

All three accused were arrested a few days after the incident.

The fourth suspect, Sandile Mjadu (30), was later shot and killed in KwaMbonambi when he allegedly shot at police.

Mjadu was found in possession of a rifle suspected to be the one taken during the farm attack.