The Magistrate’s Court found Lelethu Palatana, Mfusi Ntushelo, Mpumelelo Dlanga, Buyile Jambela, and Sikhumbuzo Hoyi guilty of shooting and killing Motherwell woman Nosipho Mabusela (55).
The suspects range in age from 19 to 33 years.
According to Colonel Priscilla Naidu’s report, seven men broke into the victim’s home on Mpheko Street NU7 in Motherwell around midnight in March 2018. The suspects ordered the father of the house, Vukile Mabusela (62) who was sleeping with his wife Nosipho, not to get out of bed, while the suspects were transporting valuables to the car they were traveling in, a red Avanza.
When Nosipho stood up to take a look, the two suspects told her to cover her face and then shot her dead.
After hearing the gunshots, neighbours called the police, who found the suspects still inside, busy moving valuables to their car.
Some of the suspects fled on foot, while two fled in a car, which was apprehended, and its contents seized.
According to the report, the main reason for the attack on the Mabusela family was that the father of the house, Mabusela, was about to receive compensation for his botched surgery.
Mabusela also died before the suspects’ trial.
General Nomthetheli Mene, the Eastern Cape Commissioner of Police, has welcomed the verdict and praised Warrant Officer Deon Alexander of Motherwell, who was investigating the case.
Mene stated that some murders are motivated by money.
In addition to the suspects’ life sentences, years between two and 15 have been added to their sentences for robbery, burglary, and gun possession.
Lumka Oliphant: ‘Yekani utywala’