One of the men who pleaded guilty for his role in the shooting deaths of five police officers at the Ngcobo police station has effectively been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The High Court in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape sentenced Siphesihle Tatsi (23) last Tuesday.
He pleaded guilty to 22 charges last week.This stems from the massacre at the Ngcobo police station on the evening of February 21, 2018. Five police officers were shot dead in an attack on the police station and 10 firearms were looted.
A police task force caught the first suspects in a raid at the controversial Mancoba Seven Angels church, just outside the town. Three of the Mancoba brothers, who led in the church, were shot dead in the raid.
Tatsi, along with Phumzile Mhlatywa (50), Phandani Monco (35), Kwanele Ndlwana (27) and Siphosomzi Tshefu (28), are charged with murder, aggravated robbery, attempted murder, burglary and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Tatsi said in his plea explanation that he participated in meetings where he and his co-accused planned the attack on the Ngcobo police station.He and his co-accused also broke into the office of a local bank on the same night of the police murders and tried unsuccessfully to break open a safe.
He returned to the church after the attack, where he remained until the police task force arrested him two days later.
Tatsi was sentenced to a total of 241 years imprisonment on the 22 charges, including 18 years for each of the murders.
The court ordered that the sentences will be served concurrently, which means he will effectively serve 18 years in prison.His co-accused’s trial continues on September 15.
The Hawks expressed the hope that Tatsi’s plea will lead to the successful prosecution of his co-accused.
