After more than a decade of legal proceedings, two Mpumalanga siblings have been sentenced for the death of a man they accused of stealing. Skhumbuzo Solly Mabena, 29, and Nkululeko Hendrick Mabena, 30, were sentenced in the eMalahleni Regional Court for the 2014 murder of Michael Mofokeng. The incident took place in the Hlalanikahle area of Emalahleni, where the Mabena brothers accused Mofokeng of breaking into their uncle’s home and stealing a sliding door frame.
The tragic events unfolded on November 13, 2014, when the brothers took matters into their own hands after suspecting Mofokeng of theft. At the time of the incident, both Skhumbuzo and Nkululeko were still students. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the brothers initially kidnapped Mofokeng and confined him in a cage at their home while they attended exams. Upon returning, they transported Mofokeng, along with members of the local community, to a sports ground, where they began questioning him about the theft.
Mofokeng insisted he acted alone in the alleged crime, but a community member suggested he might have been with someone else, a man named Sipho Nkosi. The Mabena brothers, along with others, then searched for Nkosi, eventually bringing him back to the scene. The assault on both Mofokeng and Nkosi escalated, with Nkosi ultimately succumbing to his injuries. Mofokeng, however, survived and later testified against the accused.
Despite the severity of the charges, the Mabena siblings entered a plea of not guilty. They claimed that it was the community members, not them, who were responsible for the assaults on both Mofokeng and Nkosi. However, the NPA presented compelling evidence, including testimony from Mofokeng, the surviving victim, who identified the role of each accused in the crime. Prosecutor Ellen Mafata argued that the brothers had taken the law into their own hands, rather than reporting the break-in to the authorities as they should have.
In sentencing, Magistrate Combrinck condemned the brutal nature of the crime, particularly the way Mofokeng had been treated. He noted that there were no substantial or compelling reasons to deviate from the prescribed sentence. As a result, both Skhumbuzo and Nkululeko Mabena were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, eight years each for attempted murder, and an additional two years each for kidnapping.
This case highlights the devastating consequences of vigilantism and the importance of due process in the justice system. The tragedy serves as a reminder of the necessity for individuals to seek legal recourse rather than taking matters into their own hands.
