Durban — The Newlands East woman convicted for the murders of Smangele Simamane and her 12-year-old daughter Sbongakonke Mthembu was handed two life terms for killing the two.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Slindile Pamela Zamisa along with her co-accused who is also her daughter was sentenced on Thursday in the Durban High Court by Acting Judge Sibisi.
Andile was not sentenced for Sbongakonke’s murder as she was not convicted for it since the court found that Slindile had been alone when she killed the child.
Sibisi sentenced the two each to five years for kidnapping Sbongakonke, five years for kidnapping Simamane and life imprisonment for killing her, and six years for defeating the ends of justice by concealing evidence.
Sibisi said the sentences were to run concurrently.
He also declared both women unfit to possess a firearm.
“Both the accused planned the commission of an offence. They lured the deceased to their home, interrogated and attacked them, and they knew their actions would lead to the death of the deceased. The murder in count 3 (the murder of Simamane) was committed by the accused in the furtherance of a common purpose. Their substantial and compelling circumstances accumulatively were not enough for the court to deviate from imposing the minimum sentence,” said Sibisi.
He explained that the women’s counsel had presented their personal circumstances to the court in mitigations of sentence asking that these be considered by the court as substantial and compelling circumstances to make the court deviate from the minimum sentence.
“Accused one (Slindile) killed Sbonga on her own, it was committed outside the house while the murder in count 3 was committed inside the house and involved four perpetrators. Accused one (Slindile) killed Simamane and she did that after she had killed Sbonga outside,” said Sibisi.
He said an offence that involved the loss of life was serious and this should be reflected in the sentence imposed.
“The court can not only consider the accused’s personal circumstances, but also has to consider the interest of the community as well as prevention and deterrence as well as the well-being of the accused in rehabilitation.”
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