By Lynn Shaw, THE HERALD
PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA – Two Uitenhage men convicted of culpable homicide after the death of an immigrant from Ethiopia were each sentenced to 10 years‘ imprisonment by the Port Elizabeth High Court.
Dumisani Makuleni, 20, and Simphiwe January, 33, of KwaNobuhle, were also sentenced to 10 and 15 years respectively on a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Tafara Godabo Adure was attacked and robbed by an armed gang on December 5 last year.
His wife, Daselach Forsido Abamo, who had just arrived in the country, was also assaulted.
During his judgment, Judge Jean Nepgen said it had almost become a reality of life that one was not safe on the streets anymore. The couple were collecting money from customers on the day of the attack.
When they arrived at Gqaza Street in KwaNobuhle, Abure was attacked by two armed men as he was about to go to a house to collect money. A third suspect – still at large – pointed a gun at Abamo, who had been waiting for her husband in the car. The gang sped away in the car, but were arrested in the Gunguluza area later that day.
Talking on behalf of the Ethiopian community after the judgment, Abure‘s brother said they were happy with the sentence.