Sindiso Magaqa's killer asks court for leniency

THE man who confessed to killing the former secretary general of the ANC Youth League Sindiso Magaqa will know next Monday the length of time he will be spending behind bars for his role in the assassination.

- BONGANI HANS

Sibusiso Ncengwa will not get a life sentence after the state agreed to a lesser sentence than that which was prescribed for the nature of this crime because he confessed from the day he was arrested in 2018, and disclosed the names of those who had contracted the hitmen.

Magaqa was allegedly targeted for exposing corruption within the municipality.

Ncengwa's lawyer, Advocate Andrew Matlamela, told Judge Nontuthuzelo Mlaba at the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday that his client deserved a lesser sentence than life because he had already spent nearly eight years in custody while awaiting trial.

This was in spite of Ncengwa already serving 30 years in prison for unrelated crimes, which included attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Matlamela said the court should be lenient towards Ncengwa as he participated in Magaqa’s murder, but he was not the gunman who fired the AK47.

The actual killer was Jabulani Mdunge, who was later killed during a shootout with the police.

“The accused not only pleaded guilty, but he fully disclosed who the instigators were,” said Matlamela.