The sentencing of two former pupils to life for the 2024 R50,000 hit on Sikhethuxolo high school acting principal Busani Khomo brought justice but not closure to his family on Tuesday.
Pietermaritzburg high court judge Nontuthuzelo Mlaba also sentenced Sibonelo “Bhongo” Sibiya, 26, and Bheki Mabhiza Gabriel Dube, 27, to three years for malicious damage to property.
On December 5, 2024, Khomo, 57, was driving his Toyota Fortuner when the pair opened fire on the vehicle, killing him.
Khomo lost control of the vehicle and hit a stationary car.
According to the indictment, Sibiya and Dube were hired to assassinate Khomo by a person who had a vested interest in securing the acting principal position at the school.
But the mastermind behind the hit — linked to the vacant principal post the education department was filling — was never revealed during the trial.
Khomo was earmarked for the position as he had acted in it for almost six years.
Speaking in court after the sentencing, his brother, Mvunga Khomo, said though justice for his brother’s callous murder was achieved, he was still no closer to finding out why his brother was murdered.
“We still don’t know who sent those ‘boys’ to kill my brother. We saw that in court one of them raised his hand. We don’t know what he wanted to say because he had ample time to speak during the trial. We would be happy to find who the killers are and what my brother did to deserve to die,” said Mvunga.
He said his brother’s murder had taken a heavy toll on his family, including his son.
“He has not been OK since his father’s death, and his mother had plans to send him to a therapist. My brother’s death also created ructions within the family. We want the family to be united,” said Mvunga.
Khomo’s wife did not attend the trial.
Mvunga said his brother’s death was a mystery as he had never opened up about his life being in danger.
“That guy was intelligent. There were challenges at his workplaces like in any other. There were plots to remove him from work, but we did not know that someone would go this far. Had we known that they would, we would have asked him to leave [his position],” said Khomo.
The manner in which the accused killed the deceased was heartless and brutal. He was shot eight times in broad daylight and the crime was planned as they knew the route he would take.
— Judge Nontuthuzelo Mlaba
In sentencing the accused, Mlaba said the pair had been convicted of a serious and prevalent crime.
“The manner in which the accused killed the deceased was heartless and brutal. He was shot eight times in broad daylight and the crime was planned as they knew the route he would take,” said Mlaba.
He said the stance taken by the pair of pleading not guilty despite the overwhelming evidence against them proved that they had not shown any remorse for their actions.
He said their evidence was filled with contradictions and improbabilities when they took the stand.
“You were motivated by greed, and the court is not persuaded that there is anything compelling in your personal circumstances warranting a deviation for the imposition of a minimum sentence of life imprisonment,” said Mlaba.
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