The high court in Pretoria has sentenced repeat criminal Rassie Nkuna and former police officer Jacob Chego to life imprisonment for the murder of a Gauteng couple.
Lucky and Sabeliwe Mogashoa were murdered in March 2022 near the Etwatwa off-ramp on the N12 in Ekurhuleni in the presence of their eight-year-old son and one-year-old daughter. At the time of her death, Sabeliwe was six months pregnant.
The court heard Nkuna and Chego had worked together to lure the couple before murdering them for their BMW.
On Wednesday morning family members sat holding placards of the victims in the public gallery of the courtroom.
Nkuna is already serving two life sentences for the murders of his girlfriend, Pretty Mazibuko, and her sister, Marcia, in Mpumalanga.
He is expected to go on trial next year for the murder of Hilary Gardee, daughter of EFF deputy president Godrich Gardee.
Nkuna has been linked to at least 25 crimes, with the first recorded in 2013. The cases include possession of a stolen vehicle, cash-in-transit robberies, carjackings and three rapes.
The Mogashoas opened a case with police after their BMW was stolen. The vehicle was later recovered. Chego helped release the vehicle from the pound by using a fake affidavit. Nkuna contacted the family and claimed he could help them get their car back. They were murdered after meeting him.
National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the culmination of the trial was an important moment for the Mogashoa family, particularly the children who are growing up without their parents because of a senseless and violent act.
“No sentence can bring their loved ones back, and no words can erase the pain and trauma they have endured. However, this brings a measure of justice and accountability.”
Sabeliwe’s parents, Rachel and Dumisani Zwane, who were present in court, thanked the investigating team for solving the case and never giving up in the search for justice.
TimesLIVE
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