Hefty sentences for three men who torched bus, killed six mineworkers
Three men convicted of petrol bombing a bus and killing six mineworkers have been handed hefty prison sentences in the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane.
Sipho Khumalo, 32, Philemon Makwana, 37, and Thabo Mogala, 31, were earlier found guilty of murdering the Modikwa Platinum mineworkers in 2018.
The court found that Khumalo, Makwana and Mogala had petrol bombed a bus transporting the mineworkers along the R37 outside Burgersfort on 2 April 2018 at about 02:00.
"Six mineworkers were burnt beyond recognition and 47 others managed to escape with burn wounds," police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.
"A task team consisting of Crime Intelligence, Limpopo tracking team, Limpopo PIU (provincial investigating unit) and cluster detectives was established soon after the incident, and the team managed to arrest the suspects and positively link them to the crimes," Mojapelo said.
Khumalo, Mogala and Makwana were each sentenced to six life sentences, 470 years for 47 counts of attempted murder, as well as five years for malicious damage to property.
Their co-accused Kaogelo Moime, 30, was convicted in 2019 after he pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for six counts of murder and ten years for 47 counts of attempted murder.
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