Lion killers to be sentenced

2005-09-30 08:47

Phalaborwa - Sentences will be handed down to Mark Scott-Crossley and Simon Mathebula in the Phalaborwa circuit court on Friday for killing farm-worker Nelson Chisale by feeding him to lions.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the murder at the start of their trial in January - nearly a year to the day after Chisale was viciously beaten with pangas then tossed over a fence into a lions' enclosure at the Mokwalo White Lion Project in Hoedspruit.

After a drawn-out hearing, Scott-Crossley was found guilty in April of masterminding the premeditated murder of Chisale. Mathebula was found to have acted in concert with him. The trial of a third accused Richard

Mathebula, no relation, was postponed until November after he fell ill with suspected tuberculosis.

A fourth accused, Robert Mnisi, was indemnified from prosecution when he turned State witness.

Minimum sentences of life imprisonment

Scott-Crossley and Simon Mathebula face minimum sentences of life imprisonment unless the court finds they have proved there are compelling and substantial reasons to impose lesser sentences.

Independent experts for each of the men have told the court they are unsuitable for long terms of imprisonment, recommending correctional supervision instead. The prosecution, on the other hand, contends this is not an option because of the offence had been so gruesome.

Defence counsel and the prosecution finalised their closing arguments on Thursday in a 10-hour court session during which the last of the witnesses testifying in aggravation of sentence also gave evidence.

Witnesses testifying mitigation of sentence had their turn on the stand on Wednesday when the hearing resumed after a break of a month.

Judge George Maluleke indicated at the close of proceedings on Thursday that he would hand down sentences to Scott-Crossley and Mathebula at 11:00 on Friday.

He has tried the case assisted by assessors Kate Choshi and Elphus Seemela.

- SAPA