Mbizana Court sentences drug dealers to life behind bars
Simbongile Mdledle
The High court sitting in Mbizana, sentenced Siphiwe Jula (35), Msizi Mncwabe (34) and Zamuxolo Shusha (25) to four life imprisonment terms and an additional 60 years.
The trio was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the four counts of murder, 20 years for each of the two counts of attempted murder and 20 years for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The court ordered that the four terms run concurrently.
The court heard that on November 13, 2019, the three men shot and killed Bulelani Miya, Mongezi Msomi, Inga Nzimakhwe and Amahle Sophila at Plangeni village near Mbizana. The deceased were aged between 22 and 30.
Phakamani Msomi and Sinawo Miya survived the attack but were both left paralyzed after sustaining not less than eight gunshot wounds each. Evidence presented in court stated that Jula was involved in the illegal business of dealing with drugs in the area of Mzamba and Port Edward. Mncwabe and Shusha were selling drugs on his behalf. In October 2019 Jula gave Miya, the deceased, drugs to sell on his behalf. After selling the drugs, Miya never gave Jula the money from the sales. Jula, with the assistance of his accomplices, hunted down Miya and found him in the company of the three other deceased and the two surviving men. They kicked the door down and shot indiscriminately at the six men before fleeing in a motor vehicle.
An eye witness from the neighbourhood managed to take down the registration number of the vehicle which had sped off after the shooting. Police found more than 30 spent bullet cartridges at the scene. The vehicle was traced and found in the possession of its owner, who was Jula’s girlfriend at the time. She testified in court that she had lent the vehicle to Jula on the day in question. The three men pleaded not guilty and claimed to be innocent but the state advocate Mkhuseli Ntaba managed to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt that they were guilty as charged.
