Magaqa's killer pleads with court for leniency

THE man who confessed to killing the former secretary general of the ANC Youth League, Sindiso Magagqa, will know his fate next Monday when the Pietermaritzburg High Court hands down its sentence.

- BONGANI HANS [e-mail]

However, Sibusiso Ncengwa will not get a life sentence after the State agreed to a lesser sentence than that which is prescribed for pre-meditated murder because he had confessed after his arrest in 2018 and disclosed the names of those who had contracted the hitmen.

Magaqa, who was killed in 2017, was allegedly targeted for exposing corruption within the municipality.

During mitigation of sentence yesterday, Ncengwa’s lawyer, Advocate Andrew Matlamela, told Judge Non-tuthuzelo Mlaba that his client had already spent eight years in custody while awaiting trial.

Ncengwa is already serving 30 years in prison for unrelated crimes, which include attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Matlamela said the court should be lenient towards Ncengwa because while he participated in Magaqa’s murder, he did not pull the trigger during the shooting.

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.