'Sentence won't bring dad back'

2008-09-04 17:01

Pietermaritzburg - The killer of a KwaZulu-Natal farmer was effectively jailed for 24 years on Thursday.

Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Thumba Pillay sentenced Mthokozisi Jali, 34, of Durban, to 24 years for the murder of Andrew Main on his Pietermaritzburg farm last year.

Main was ambushed and was shot dead as he alighted from his bakkie.

Jali was sentenced to another 12 years in prison for the aggravated robbery of Main, and seven years for the unlawful possession of an AK-47 assault rifle. The sentences are to run concurrently.

In 1996 Jali was convicted of the aggravated robbery of Main's neighbours, Ian and Rosemary Jaffray two years earlier. They had since moved to Cape Town. Pillay said because this sentence was imposed more than 10 years ago Jali should be treated as a first offender.

During arguments on his sentence, Jali agreed his gang could have overpowered the 53-year-old Main instead of shooting and killing him on sight. Main was shot as soon as he got out of his vehicle at his home on the night of September 2007.

Jali admitted during cross examination by State advocate Prettygirl Ngcobo that the gang wanted Main's weapons to commit further crimes.

Pillay said it was fortunate that the gang was arrested quickly as they could have committed further mayhem and murder with the weapons.

Jali is the second member of the gang to have pleaded to crimes involved in the murder and aggravated robbery of Main.

On August 26, Mxolisi Gcwabashe pleaded guilty to possession of the murder weapon, an AK-47 rifle, and was jailed for seven years.

A third accused, Mzamo Wiseman Jali, 36, of Cramond, is to stand trial on the charges on February 2. He is to remain in custody.

A fourth member of the gang, Lucky Ntombela who, Jali alleged, shot Main with the AK-47, was shot dead when he and a policeman wrestled for a gun in an escape bid. He was wanted for a series of crimes.

After Main's murder, 54 of his farm workers who grew and packed vegetables for supermarkets lost their jobs, friends and family members said.

Pillay said killings of farmers were a scourge.

However, Pillay said, Jali's expressions of remorse seemed to be genuine and he should have prospects of rehabilitation.

Main's daughter Nicky, who attended the trial, expressed satisfaction with the Jali's sentence, but said it would not bring her father back.

- SAPA