Life sentences for three men convicted of murdering a Limpopo farm owner
Three men will each serve a life term behind bars for the murder of a Limpopo farm owner in 2022.
Image: File
The gavel of justice fell for three murderers, despite their attempts to maintain their innocence during trial proceedings.
Each will serve a life imprisonment term after being sentenced at the Polokwane High Court this week.
The trio, in their criminal deed, handcuffed a minor boy and held him at gunpoint while they ransacked a farmhouse before the farm owner and his partner entered the house and disrupted their act. However, the farm owner was shot and killed after an altercation ensued.
The men from Limpopo - Malesela Albert Mangena, 35, of Mabotja Extension 45, Velly Segwale, 35, and Lesiba Solly Segwale, 45, of Mmotong Mokgokong village - faced multiple criminal charges, and the court ordered that their various sentences run concurrently with their life terms.
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National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, confirmed they were convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition.
All three pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court further declared the accused unfit to possess firearms under the Firearms Control Act of South Africa.
'The court heard that on 7 October 2022, the trio conspired to commit a robbery at Derdekraal Farm. Upon arrival, they entered the house and held a 15-year-old boy at gunpoint, demanding money and the safe keys. They handcuffed the boy and began looting valuable items.
'When the farm owner, Nicolaas Johannes Janse van Rensburg, and his partner arrived, the accused ordered them to sit down. An altercation ensued, during which Van Rensburg was shot and killed. The accused fled the scene but were later arrested following a thorough police investigation and remained in custody until the finalisation of their trial,' said Malabi-Dzhangi.
In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Norman Makhubele called two key witnesses.
Kobus Delange, representing South African commercial farmers, testified about the critical role farmers play in food security, employment, and the national economy.
Delange highlighted the alarming rise in violent attacks on farmers.
Taleza van Rensburg, the sister of the deceased, provided emotional testimony on the devastating impact of the murder on the family and farmworkers.
She noted that livestock had to be sold due to safety concerns, resulting in job losses and the eventual closure of the farm.
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8 hours ago
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Life sentences for three men convicted of murdering a Limpopo farm owner
Three men will each serve a life term behind bars for the murder of a Limpopo farm owner in 2022. Image: File The gavel of justice fell for three murderers, despite their attempts to maintain their innocence during trial proceedings. Each will serve a life imprisonment term after being sentenced at the Polokwane High Court this week. The trio, in their criminal deed, handcuffed a minor boy and held him at gunpoint while they ransacked a farmhouse before the farm owner and his partner entered the house and disrupted their act. However, the farm owner was shot and killed after an altercation ensued. The men from Limpopo - Malesela Albert Mangena, 35, of Mabotja Extension 45, Velly Segwale, 35, and Lesiba Solly Segwale, 45, of Mmotong Mokgokong village - faced multiple criminal charges, and the court ordered that their various sentences run concurrently with their life terms. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, confirmed they were convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition. All three pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court further declared the accused unfit to possess firearms under the Firearms Control Act of South Africa. 'The court heard that on 7 October 2022, the trio conspired to commit a robbery at Derdekraal Farm. Upon arrival, they entered the house and held a 15-year-old boy at gunpoint, demanding money and the safe keys. They handcuffed the boy and began looting valuable items. 'When the farm owner, Nicolaas Johannes Janse van Rensburg, and his partner arrived, the accused ordered them to sit down. An altercation ensued, during which Van Rensburg was shot and killed. The accused fled the scene but were later arrested following a thorough police investigation and remained in custody until the finalisation of their trial,' said Malabi-Dzhangi. In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Norman Makhubele called two key witnesses. Kobus Delange, representing South African commercial farmers, testified about the critical role farmers play in food security, employment, and the national economy. Delange highlighted the alarming rise in violent attacks on farmers. Taleza van Rensburg, the sister of the deceased, provided emotional testimony on the devastating impact of the murder on the family and farmworkers. She noted that livestock had to be sold due to safety concerns, resulting in job losses and the eventual closure of the farm.
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Prosecutors described the crime as 'premeditated executed with extreme violence'. Three men have been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a 35-year-old farmer, Nicolaas 'Nicci' Janse van Rensburg, in Limpopo. Malesela Albert Mangena (35), Velly Segwale (35), and Lesiba Solly Segwale (45) appeared in the Polokwane High Court on Monday, where the sentence was handed down. The trio was also handed a combined additional 42 years' imprisonment for multiple related offences. Conviction The sentence for the farmer's murder comes after their conviction on 11 June in what prosecutors described as a 'premeditated crime executed with extreme violence'. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the three men were found guilty on several charges, including conspiracy to commit robbery, murder, robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and unlicensed ammunition. ALSO READ: Trio convicted for brutal farm attack in Eastern Cape 'The court ordered that the sentences will run concurrently with the life sentence for murder. Therefore, the effective sentence is life imprisonment. The court further declared the accused unfit to possess firearms under Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.' Trial Malabi-Dzhangi said during the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. 'The court heard that on 07 October 2022, the trio conspired to commit a robbery at Derdekraal Farm. Upon arrival, they entered the house and held a 15-year-old boy at gunpoint, demanding money and the safe keys. They handcuffed the boy and began looting valuable items. 'When the farm owner, Nicolaas Johannes Janse van Rensburg, and his partner arrived, the accused ordered them to sit down. An altercation ensued, during which Van Rensburg was shot and killed. The accused fled the scene but were later arrested following a thorough police investigation and remained in custody until the finalisation of their trial,' Malabi-Dzhangi said. Farm murders In aggravation of sentence, state prosecutor Advocate Norman Makhubele called two key witnesses. Kobus de Lange, representing South African commercial farmers, testified about the critical role farmers play in ensuring food security, creating employment opportunities, and contributing to the national economy. De Lange testified about the alarming rise in violent attacks on farmers. The farmer's sister, Taleza van Rensburg, provided emotional testimony on the devastating impact of the murder on the family and farmworkers. Taleza said livestock had to be sold due to safety concerns, resulting in job losses and ultimately the farm's closure. Previous convictions Malabi-Dzhangi said the accused had previous convictions for robbery and showed no remorse. 'The court agreed with the state's submission that there were no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence.' Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Ivy Thenga welcomed the sentence. 'The NPA remains committed to delivering justice for victims of violent crimes, especially those murdered in cold blood for their belongings. I commend Advocate Makhubele and all the stakeholders involved in securing this conviction and sentence,' Thenga said. ALSO READ: Four arrested for Free State farm murder, kidnapped wife rescued
