Mido Macia killers to appeal conviction
The eight police officers sentenced for the murder of Mido Macia will appeal against their conviction, their lawyer has said.
|||Pretoria - The eight police officers sentenced for the murder of Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia would appeal against the conviction, their legal representative said on Wednesday.
Benny Ndaba said the appeal would be against the conviction handed down by Judge Bert Bam in August.
“We are not appealing the 15-year sentence handed by the court today (on Wednesday), we are going to appeal against the conviction. We are of the opinion that the judge’s analysis of the evidence brought before court was incorrect, and we believe that another court might come to a different opinion,” said Ndaba.
“Bam was incorrect in his conviction.”
The eight police officers – Meshack Malele, Thamsanqa Ngema, Percy Mnisi, Bongamusa Mdluli, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi and Linda Sololo – were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.
“Taking into consideration the evidence before court and mitigation of sentence, the court sentences all eight accused to 15 years each in prison,” said Judge Bam.
He said although there were strong arguments during mitigation of sentence for life sentences in accordance with the crime, he found there were compelling circumstances to not impose such.
The accused did not have previous convictions, and were bread winners who families depended on.
“I arrived at a conclusion that life in prison will not be feasible. There are satisfying circumstances that allows deviation from the life sentence.”
Macia was dragged behind a police van in February 2013. He was later found dead in the Daveyton police station’s holding cells.
The police officers were all dismissed from the South African Police Service following a disciplinary hearing.
A ninth former police officer, initially charged with the group, was acquitted by the court. Matome Ramatlou walked out of the court a free man after Bam told him that there was no evidence linking him to the murder.
ANA