Security manager who shot youth on lychee farm to serve life jail term

A security manager who opened fire on four youths looking for jobs over the lychee harvest season, killing one, has been sentenced to life and an additional 38 years' imprisonment.

Sarel du Plessis, 52, was convicted by the Mpumalanga High Court this week for the shooting near Uniform Farm, Tendabosch, in the district of Komatipoort on December 5 2018.

Bhekimuzi Anele Ziko, 18, his elder brother and their two friends were walking around Daisa farm in Komatipoort looking for temporary jobs since it was lychee harvest time, said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.

“They continued going in and around with the hope of securing jobs. The accused concluded that they were trespassing and intending to steal lychees from the farm. He drove towards their direction, stopped the vehicle, and took out his firearm. He started shooting at the victims. One died and three ran away.”

The court heard Ziko’s mother Florah Khoza had been left “emotionally and physically traumatised” and was diagnosed with a chronic illness, Nyuswa said.

In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Eugene Mathebula said Du Plessis had abused his power as a security manager and killed a defenceless young job seeker.

Judge Nelisa Phiwokazi Mali said the sentence must serve as a deterrent to society. She found no reasons justifying deviation from the prescribed sentence.

Du Plessis was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, ten years' imprisonment on each count of attempted murder, five years for unlicensed possession of a firearm and three years for possession of ammunition. The court ordered the life sentence to run concurrently with the sentence imposed on other counts, meaning that effectively the accused will serve life imprisonment.

The NPA said it is satisfied with the sentence and hopes that the Ziko family “will find solace and closure that the accused has been removed from society”. 

Reuters