TimesLIVE reports that a 31-year-old Nkandla policeman has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his branch commander, whom he shot twice in the charge office where they both worked.  

While Const S’thembiso Nhleko has not elaborated on why he killed Sgt Thokoza Sibisi at the Ekhombe police station in Nkandla on 24 May last year, events leading up to the fatal shooting suggest that he feared Sibisi would report him for pretending to be sick so as not to have to work the evening shift.  Nhleko pleaded not guilty, claiming he had acted in self-defence (details in TimesLIVE news report).  Judge Anand Maharaj found Nhleko’s version to be “highly improbable”.  Handing down sentence on Monday, Maharaj said Nhleko’s conduct was totally unacceptable, more so because he was a police officer.  He also noted that Nhleko had not shown any remorse.  The judge concluded that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the legislated prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tania Broughton at TimesLIVE

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