SA: Two Zimbabwean highway robbers sentenced for murder, robberies

By TimesLIVE 

SOUTH AFRICA: The Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Thursday sentenced Zimbabwean Norest Singage to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman and 27 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Singage’s accomplice, fellow Zimbabwean Rodwin Maphinde, 34, was sentenced to 12 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“The court heard that on August 26 2020, the first victim was accosted by a group of men while praying on the R80 Mabopane highway. He was robbed of his cellphone and bank cards,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.

On September 12 2020, the second victim, along with his wife and children, stopped on the same highway and was approached by the same group.

“Singage took the wife by force deeper into the mountain where he shot and killed her.”

However, the husband escaped and reported the incident to the police. The two suspects were arrested on October 24 2020 in Marabastad, where Singage was employed as a vendor.

Singage and Maphinde pleaded not guilty.

“However, prosecutor Lebogang Mokome successfully proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.”