The three men convicted of robbing and murdering Strandfontein dad Grant Fredericks have been sentenced to life in jail.
The trio, together with their two accomplices, were also slapped with a 21-year sentence for trying to rob a jewellery store the next day using Grant’s stolen car.
Relatives of the convicted men sat praying in the public gallery of the Western Cape High Court yesterday before sentencing was delivered.
Zingisile Kleinhans, Themba Jilaji and Mongemeli Dyani were convicted of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances relating to his car, a red VW Polo.
They received life for the two crimes as they were committed at the same time, Judge AJ Langa found.
Grant was robbed and killed on 20 September 2016 when he went to a tuck shop in Milano Street, San Remo, Strandfontein.
In addition, the three suspects will also spend four years behind
bars for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and two years for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
Grant was robbed and killed in September 2016 when he went to a tuck shop in Milano Street, San Remo, Strandfontein. Picture supplied
Suspects Siphokule Bulana and Xola Nakumba were found not guilty of Grant’s murder and robbery as they could not be placed at the scene.
All five men were convicted of eight charges including two counts under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), relating to the attempted robbery at the Robb Trigg jewellery store in Claremont on 21 September 2016.
Kleinhans, Jilaji and Dyani received five years for the Poca charges, 10 years for the attempted robbery, six years for the unlawful possession of a firearm, and two years for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
For three charges relating to the unlawful possession of dangerous weapons, apparatus and malicious damage to property, they each received three years.
For their role in the attempted robbery at the jewellery store, Bulana and Nakumba received 21 years each in total.
Langa said although the men were not violent towards anyone in the jewellery store, they had threatened staff using a screwdriver, which had been found in Bulana’s possession.
Outside court, Grant’s aunt, Sybil Domingo, 66, said they were satisfied with the outcome.
“They must rot in jail, Grant’s two children and wife are still devastated by what happened.”
The suspects were caught after an employee at Robb Trigg pressed the panic button, causing the men to flee the store.
Grant Fredericks' sister says his killers must rot in jail. Picture: Armand Hough/ANA
Wakker cops, who spotted Grant’s stolen car parked along Osbourne Road in Claremont, investigated and the gang was nabbed following a chase.
An unlicensed firearm, gloves, a hammer, a fake firearm and a screwdriver had been retrieved at the scene.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman, Eric Ntabazalila, has welcomed the sentence: “It is a sentence that fits the gruesome crime they committed.
“They killed an innocent man so that they can access his vehicle to commit a business robbery the next day.
“We hope this sentence serves as a deterrence to any person who may want to commit such crimes in the future.”