Triple life sentence for KZN man who killed three people in one day

Durban: A KZN man who killed three people in one day has begun serving his sentences.

Scelo Ndodo Zuma, 29, was convicted and sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg High Court this week.

According to KZN police, just after midnight on April 18, 2019, the victim Arnold Cassim, 38, was in his tuck-shop in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg, when he was attacked by three unknown armed males.

“At gunpoint they took cash, cigarettes, airtime vouchers and cellphones. The victim was shot multiple times on the body and was declared at the scene,” said police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala.

“There was a woman that was in the vicinity and was also fatally wounded by the armed robbers who fled the scene on foot.”

Gwala said the woman was later identified as 23-year-old Rorisang Makoetje.

“Charges of murder and robbery were opened for investigation at Mountain Rise SAPS.

“On the same day, the same robbers proceeded to Swapo to assassinate a woman that witnessed the incident.

“Alina Tsiko, 21, was fatally shot on the head. Another murder case was opened.”

Gwala said following police investigations, Zuma was arrested in Hanniville in 2019.

“During his arrest, the accused was in possession of an illegal firearm with 15 rounds of ammunition. The recovered firearm was positively linked to all the three murders.”

The other two accused – Mfunso Zuma Sibisi, 26, and Zain Khwashube, 34, – were also arrested in the same area.

On December 5, 2019 Sibisi pleaded guilty to all three murders in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

He was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of Cassim and 20 years each for the murder of Tsiko and Makoetje.

Gwala said all three sentences will run concurrently.

Khwashube’s trial will continue at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday, May 10.

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