Three people who killed twelve people, after they had forced them to have sex, were sentenced to12 life terms.

ARSON AND MURDER

The Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu Natal sentenced Mandisa Ngcobo, Mthobisi Makhathini and Sanele Aubrey Phetha to 12 terms of life and 55 years imprisonment each for the murders, attempted murders, robbery with aggravating circumstances and arson on Wednesday.

The trio committed the crime in May last year in the KwaMpande, outside PMB because, over a drugs related business.

KZN National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Mandisa wanted Lizwe Ngcobo, one of the complainants in the attempted murder charge, to sell drugs on his behalf but Lizwe refused. Mandisa then acquired the assistance of Makhathini and Phetha. They planned to attack Lizwe at his home where Lizwe sold drugs and planned to put him out of business. On 14 May 2023, the accused went to Lizwe's house where they found other drug users smoking. The accused made them undress and forced them into a small bathroom. 

"The bathroom door was closed and the house was set on fire. An assailant was placed outside the bathroom window, armed with a bush knife to ensure that no one escaped. Eight of the deceased died on the scene while four others died in hospital. Their cause of death was consistent with burns," she said.

STOLEN CASH

Kara said Lizwe and two others survived the attack. The accused also took cash that was on the property.

"They were arrested after police followed up on information. In aggravation of the sentence, the state submitted Victim Impact Statements compiled by family members of the deceased and the complainants and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Mbalenhle Komane. The family members said that they were utterly traumatised as some of them had rushed to the scene of the crime and had seen the state of their loved ones. The statements spoke of the kindness of the deceased and how many of them largely supported their families," she said. 

The aunt of one of the deceased said, ?I thank God for answering my prayers because at least justice played its role. The courts of law did not fail us.?

Kara said each of the accused received 12 terms of life imprisonment for the murders, 30 years imprisonment for the attempted murders, 15 years imprisonment for the robbery with aggravating circumstances and 10 years imprisonment for arson.

"They will serve an effective term of life imprisonment. They were declared unfit to possess a firearm and the court further dismissed their application for leave to appeal," she concluded.