Farm attacker gets 43 years

2004-08-05 22:32

Zenzele Kuhlase

Lephalale - A farm attacker has been jailed for life and an additional 43 years for stabbing a farmer to death and then lying about it.

Abel Makgai, 31, of Shongwani village in Limpopo was handed the stiff sentence in the Lephalale circuit of the high court on Wednesday because he insisted on his innocence.

This is despite the fact that the farmer had shot him twice in the leg while trying to defend his family.

"Because of his stupidity, Makgai was given life imprisonment plus 43 years in jail," said Bushveld police spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba on Thursday.

His co-accused, Hendrik Mosima, 43, had pleaded guilty to the charges, which were murder, housebreaking, armed robbery, and the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and got a lighter sentence of 32 years in jail.

The two men had attacked De Kuil farm in Villa Nora near Bela-Bela in October 2002.

Farmer Douw Gerbrandt van Tonder, 25, his wife and sister-in-law were at home when they heard a knock at the door and Van Tonder went to answer it.

When he opened the door, Makgai and Mosima repeatedly stabbed him, but he managed to draw his gun and shot Makgai twice in the leg.

Van Tonder then collapsed and died.

Mosima then forced the two women to give him all their money, which didn't amount to much, so they took some household goods too.

He then tried to carry Makgai away, but eventually dumped him when he became too heavy.

- African Eye