The Pietermaritzburg High Court has sentenced Phelelani Qwabe to 25-years in jail for shooting and killing his cousin over blankets. Phelelani who hails from Nkanini in Eshowe, KwaZulu Natal, killed his cousin after his father had an argument with his aunt Bonisiwe Mtenga. The Qwabe family had gathered to share the blankets they had received from mourners, after they had buried their grandmother in August this year.

FIGHT OVER BLANKETS

The argument between Qwabe's father and Mtenga was caused by differences on who must get most blankets that were donated by mourners for his grandmother's passing away. It is alleged that Qwabe's told Mtenga that he was going to take more blankets and that's when Mtenga became angry and started swearing at Phelelani's father which angered him.
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CONFESSING TO THE MURDER

Confessing to the murder charge of his cousin, Qwabe told Acting Judge Eric Zaca that he became very angry at her aunt for swearing at his father. "I became very angry and went home to get a gun and came back to the family house and tried to shoot and kill my aunt but unfortunately I missed her and ended shooting and killing my cousin by mistake," he said.
The court sentenced Qwabe to 25 years for murder,  10 years for attempted murder of Mtenga, five years for possession of unlawful firearm and three years for an unlawful ammunition.