The case of the so-called Waterkloof four was referred back to the regional court for sentencing on Wednesday, after the Pretoria High Court found it was improper for it to sentence the four former schoolboys.
The four white accused — Christoff Becker, Frikkie du Preez, Gert van Schalkwyk and Reinach Tied — were found guilty of the murder of an unidentified black man and assaulting another in 2001.
Their case was sent to the high court, which has the jurisdiction to impose a life sentence, but Judge Mahomed Ismail ruled on Wednesday that the high court could not impose a life sentence since the boys were minors when they committed the crimes.
”A sentence other than life could be evoked,” he said.
They assaulted their first victim, and then kicked, punched and stabbed to death their second victim in a park in Moreleta Park in a rampage on their way back from a nightclub in Hatfield in December 2001.
They were found guilty of the crime in the regional court in June last year.
All four are out on bail and arrived at court on Wednesday looking relaxed, joking with their parole officer and their parents who also attended the case.
Their case was postponed to July 25 for sentencing in the regional court. — Sapa