Mom tells killer of kind son
2008-02-28 19:34
Pietermaritzburg - A weeping mother told a hijacker convicted of killing her son that if he had asked for his car he would have handed it over.
Bereaved mother Aileen Stephens told Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday that her son, Lyle Stephens, 28, shot while taking food to an orphanage in a needy area near Hillcrest, was kind and did much charity work.
His murder had traumatised his family and especially his three sisters.
Mthethowakhe Nzama, 26, was convicted on Thursday of the murder and aggravated robbery of Stephens.
He was jailed for life for the murder and given 15 years' for the robbery, near Hillcrest in February 2006.
After he was sentenced, Nzama passed within a few metres of parents Keith and Aileen Stephens, but averted his eyes and showed no remorse.
Stephens' friend, Briton Justin Roberts, who was in Stephens's car while they were taking food to the orphanage, said that on the way four men approached the car, one drew a firearm and fired two shots at the car.
Left him on roadside
Stephens and Roberts ducked, but the gunman fired again through the passenger window, fatally wounding Stephens.
The gang took the unconscious Stephens out of his car, left him at the roadside and drove off in his car, clambering over food parcels meant for the orphanage.
After some drivers did not stop to help Stephens, the driver of a bakkie did and drove Roberts and the unconscious Stephens to Botha's Hill. They were overtaken by paramedics who connected Stephens to life support.
Later, an ambulance arrived and took Stephens to hospital where he died.
State advocate Deelan Naidoo said the young man had his life snatched away while he was contributing to society's welfare.
Judge Ron McLaren said the murder and robbery were motivated by greed.
While Nzama did not have the direct intention to kill he had a reckless disregard for the lives of others.
- SAPA