Cop to spend 17 in jail for murder

Cop to spend 17 in jail for murder

On wednesday 27 August 2014, the North Gauteng High Court sitting in Nelspruit has sentenced a former police constable to 17 years effectively for murder.

Richwell Request Nyakane (31), who stationed at Pilgrim’s Rest as a detective shot and killed the mother of his child Virginia Mashele 27. The court heard that on 10 March 2013, at approximately 11:00, Nyakane and Mashele were travelling in a car together with their three-years-old son when an argument ensued.

It unravelled by the court that the argument was about the maintenance of the child. Mashele demanded Nyakane to pay more for the maintenance which he became angry and did not want to approve the amount.

In the plea bargain Nyakane made yesterday, Tuesday 26 August 2014, Nyakane told the court that he could not control his anger which led him instantly stopping his car and shooting her four times in her back in front of the child. He then drove to the direction of Bushbuckridge leaving the profusely bleeding body of Mashele.

Nyakane then abandoned the child alone on the side of the road and proceeded further to his home in Bushbuckridge. The court heard that when he arrived at home, he picked some of his family members as well as his wife to Hoedspruit for lunch as if nothing happened.

Motorists who in turn alerted the police spotted the body of Mashele. Firstly, Mashele’s body was stored in a state mortuary as unidentified. The diligent investigation by police led to Nyakane arrested on Monday 11 March 2013, a day after the committed the heartless acts.

According to the investigator of the case, Nyakane did not hesitate in confessing to the brutally killing and arrested. He has since languished in the prison cells without succeeding in securing bail until his sentencing today as follows:

1. On the charge of murder, the court sentences him to 15 years imprisonment.

2. He also sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for abandoning his child alongside the road of which three years will run concurrently with the murder charge.

Nyakane will serve 17 years effectively in jail and he ordered to compensate the family of Mashele with an amount of R 5000 towards the expenses they incurred during the funeral arrangements. The amount Nyakane has to pay before the end of October 2014.     

The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela welcomed the sentence and further warned other SAPS members that they are not law unto themselves. “There are some other police members whom we have dismissed for misconducts however their criminal cases are still pending. We believe and trust our courts that they will deal harshly with them. All members with criminal cases should know that their days are numbered”, warned Lt Gen Ntobela.