Weekly Mail & Guardian Reporter
A MAN identified as an ANC marshal was sentenced in the Grahamstown Supreme Court this week to 12 years’ imprisonment for participating in the murder of a Pan Africanist Congress member.
Johnson Njinana (20) was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Patrick Buyisile Malawana (25) in Middelburg on December 14 last year. He was acquitted on a second charge of attempted murder.
Three other accused, also ANC members, were acquitted on both charges. They were Oubaas Themba Maki (38), Wayne Gerald Starbuck (23) and a 16-year-old youth. Starbuck was also identified as an ANC marshal.
Mr Justice LE Leach said Njinana had admitted to being party to the murder of Malawana. He said there were strong indications that the other three accused had been part of the group which attacked the deceased, but witnesses had been unable to identify them beyond all reasonable doubt.
“Only dim firelight illuminated the shocking and chaotic events,” he said.
Evidence was that the attack on Malawana, a PAC member, followed an ANC meeting at which it was decided to “remove” the deceased from Middelburg.
A group armed with petrol and petrol bombs went in search of him and, after breaking into a house, found him hiding under a bed.
They pulled him out of the house, hitting, kicking and stabbing him with sharp objects. Once outside they poured petrol over him and set him alight. He was then followed back into the house where the attack was repeated.
The complainant in the attempted murder charge, “Riempies” Memani, was attacked and stabbed several times when he tried to help the deceased. — Ecna