The Gauteng High Court has sentenced Sipho Mabasa to six life terms for killing six people at the Jabulani Hostel in Soweto in June 2020.
Mabasa was further sentenced to 25 years for possession of unlicensed firearms, 15 years for attempted murder, and three years for possession of ammunition when he appeared in court on Friday.
Phindi Mjonondwane, the regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said Mabasa was arrested by the police in Lenasia, south of Soweto in Gauteng eight days after the incident.
During the arrest, he was found in possession of a pistol and ammunition.
“He was then linked to the Jabulani murder case through ballistics evidence,” said Mjonondwane.
“Detective Sergeant Banele Gavin Ndlovu, working together with a multi-disciplinary team consisting of the murder and robbery squad and the Johannesburg tactical response team, worked tirelessly to gather circumstantial evidence, as the surviving victims could not identify the three men that attacked them when they were having a birthday celebration, leaving six people dead and one of the victims partially disabled.”
She added that state advocate Rachel Kau argued that the use of unlawful firearms deprives citizens of their right to live.
Mjonondwane said the NPA acknowledges the continuous efforts of dedicated police officers who add value to the work done by committed prosecutors, noting that communities continue to depend on them for their safety.
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