4 men sentenced to 25 years for Eastern Cape farm attack
16 April 2019
The Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda has sentenced four men to 25 years behind bars for a March 2017 farm attack in Aberdeen, in the Eastern Cape.
According to police spokesperson Captain Anelisa Feni, 45-year-old Hannes Gouws was shot on his farm, Makateesplaas, and his 14-year-old son Jan-Hendrik was assaulted.
"The 14-year-old fought back and as a result of the scuffle [the men] fled the scene without taking anything from the farm."
Feni said Lwandile Aseni, 24, Zwelakhe Mguzulwa, 37, and Zwelakhe Jaxa, 31, illegally gained entry to the farm. Floyd Ayanda Nkohla, 35, was an employee on the farm at the time of the attack.
Feni said investigations revealed that he was the one who supplied Aseni, Mguzulwa and Jaxa with information relating to the farm.
"The Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks commenced with its investigation and during October 2017 arrested Aseni, Nkohla, Mguzulwa and Jaxa in George."
The four were sentenced to three years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, three years for housebreaking with the intent to steal, five years for attempted robbery, 16 years for two counts of attempted murder, six years for the unlawful possession of a firearm and six years for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
Their effective sentences amount to 25 years each.
National Hawks head, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, welcomed the sentences and commended the investigators for their work.
