Kilian mom’s killers jailed: Four men sentenced to life in prison after farm robbery turns deadly
|Published
JUSTICE: Zane Kilian with his mom Heila, 63
The four men, who were found guilty of murdering the mother of murder accused Zane Kilian have been sentenced to over 50 years in the mang.
Heila Kilian, 63, was killed during a robbery on a farm in Stilbaai in 2018.
Sakhumzi Benya, Nkosiyethu Nocuza, Msomi Nikani and Monwabisi Maki were found guilty at the George Circuit Court on charges of murder, aggravated robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
A fifth co-accused, Xolusani Myoyi, was acquitted of all charges.
The State said that Heila had been visiting family on the farm where David and Brenda Thomas lived.
They were having a braai with Shaun Vorster and his wife when the armed killers arrived.
They stabbed and beat the Thomases and their guests, tied them up and shot Heila through the heart.
They stole jewellery that belonged to Brenda Thomas and later demanded that Vorster take them to his cottage and show them where he had stored cash and firearms, which they also stole.
They then fled in a white Toyota Hilux bakkie that belonged to the Thomases.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says the four were sentenced on Friday morning.
“They were each sentenced to life imprisonment and 54 years. They were convicted for the murder of Heila Kilian, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition.
“They were acquitted on the charge of malicious injury to property. Earlier, the court acquitted Xolisa Myoyi on all the charges.
“They were sentenced to life imprisonment for Kilian’s murder, 15 years imprisonment for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, six years imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms and three years imprisonment for illegal possession of ammunition.”
Meanwhile, Zane Kilian, who is charged with the murder of Anti-Gang Unit commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear, remains in the mang after abandoning his bail application at Blue Downs Regional Court last year.
The former rugby player is set to stand trial alongside alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, for the murder as the State alleges he was employed by Modack to ping Kinnear’s phone in the months leading up to his murder outside his Bishop Lavis home in September 2020.