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Five people accused of murdering a Gqeberha woman during a house robbery will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
The City's regional court has sentenced the suspects, between the ages of 18 and 33, to life imprisonment for murder, housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu says the suspects broke into a house in Motherwell where they found a couple asleep in 2018.
Naidu says during the robbery the owner of the house, Clyde Mabusela and his wife Nosipho were ordered to remain in bed while the suspects ransacked their home and loaded household goods into a vehicle.
As Nosipho Mabusela went to investigate, two of the accused returned and asked her to cover her face before fatally shooting her.
Naidu says the Mabusela's neighbours heard the gunshots and immediately alerted the police who responded to the crime scene.
She says police arrested two suspects but others managed to escape.
A third suspect was arrested a week later in Kabega and two others were apprehended following investigations. One suspect who turned State witness died during the trial.
The widow, Clyde Mabusela, passed away before the finalisation of the case.
Naidu says the motive for the murder was that Mabusela had received a disability payout following a botched surgery.
Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene applauded the investigation by D/W/O Deon Alexander of the Serious and Violent Crime Task Team from Motherwell who ensured that the accused received the maximum sentence.
Lt-Gen Mene welcomed the sentence; "It is sad when a life is sacrificed at the cost of insidious acts of greed. Money is a factor behind many murders and it is clear that greed for more can push people to commit serious crimes such as murder."
