Men sentenced for mob killing

KNYSNA NEWS - Two men have been sentenced to 17 years in prison for the killing of a man in an act of mob justice in Concordia in October 2019.

According to Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie, the two accused, Silulami Jonas (36) and Luvuyo Jonas (36), were found guilty in the Knysna Magistrate's Court on 26 November on four accounts.

"Each of them was found guilty on a charge of culpable homicide and three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH)," Pojie said.

The two were sentenced to eight years' imprisonment on the charge of culpable homicide, plus three years for each of the different assault GBH counts. "The court indicated that each sentence must be served separately, meaning that each received a total sentence of 17 years," Pojie explained.

The crime

"Initial investigations indicate that on 20 October 2019 at around 08:00 in the morning, accused number one (Silulami Jonas) phoned the police and informed them that the deceased allegedly broke into his house and therefore they apprehended him," Pojie said.

He added that at the time there wasn't sufficient evidence to arrest anyone for the alleged housebreaking complaint. "No arrests were therefore made."

According to Pojie, Jonas then took the matter into his own hands and apprehended the deceased, whereafter he and Luvuyo Jonas assaulted the deceased at their house until he revealed the others who were allegedly involved in the housebreaking.

"The three (20- to 25-year-olds) additional alleged housebreakers were also apprehended and assaulted," he confirmed.

The deceased, Franklin Stroebel (22), was tied up and so badly assaulted that he was hospitalised. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

"The two accused were arrested shortly thereafter in connection with the death of Stroebel and stood trial for murder on which they were found guilty of culpable homicide," Pojie said.

Knysna Magistrate's Court