
Family finds closure as Dumi Masilela’s murderers are sentenced to life
STORY: Sihle Mkhize
PHOTO: Twitter
Former Rhythm City actor Dumi Masilela may be gone forever, but his family have finally found some closure. This comes after all the five men who hijacked and killed him were sentenced to life in prison this week.
Dumi’s death shocked the nation four years ago. He left behind his the fiancé, actress Simphiwe Ngema.
Bongani John Masombuka (37), Sfundo Harrison Nkosi (33), Khumbudzo Solomon Mukhuba (31), Brien Makhubedu (27) and Mashudu Malema (34) were also sentenced to a further 175 years imprisonment, collectively.
Their charges included murder, kidnapping, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances and attempted robbery.
Dumi’s mother Sabatha Masilela, also took to the stand to give her victim impact statement testimony. She told the court the loss of her son affected her family to teh extent that she even lost her job as a teacher.
Sabatha testified that the traumatic experience made it impossible for her to cope at work. Nevertheless, Sabatha thanked the prosecutor and the judge for revitalising her faith in the justice system.
The five were sentenced just a day after the fourth anniversary of Dumi’s death. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the judge ordered that the 175 years sentence run concurrently with the life sentence.
“On the evening of 02 August 2017, Sizwe Nqobile Shabangu had parked his car at Dungezi Street in Daveyton. Upon returning to his car, the five approached him in a Toyota Quantum and robbed him of his car.
“They forced him to the back of the car and took his belongings. Masombuka drove the Quantum while the rest were in the Jeep and they followed each other towards Tembisa.
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“Later the same day, they saw Masilela’s Golf 7 parked in the street in Tembisa. They stopped the Jeep and Mukhuba got out of the car and approached the Golf 7 in an attempt to rob it at gunpoint.
“Masilela, who was driving the car managed to drive off but Mukhuba fired at the moving car. The bullet hit Dumisani and he later died in hospital,” the NPA said in a statement.
The five men have been in custody since their arrests in 2017 and 2018. “After investigations, Mukhuba was arrested on 07 August 2017 for possession of an unlicensed firearm. After his arrest, the rest fled to Rustenburg where they committed another robbery of a Ford Ranger.
“They robbed Monagane and Kgalegi, who were in the car, of their belongings and money amounting to R1 800. They tied their hands and feet and left them in a veld in Maile village.
“Masombuka was arrested on 08 August 2017 in Rustenburg while in possession of the Toyota Quantum and a cell phone belonging to Kgalegi. Nkosi handed himself over to the police and was arrested on 15 August 2017. Makhubedu and Malema were later arrested in 2018, months apart.”