Coligny murder pair sentenced
Pieter Doorewaard and Phillip Schutte were sentenced to an effective 18 and 23 years in prison respectively at the North West High Court in Mahikeng on Wednesday.
The two men were found guilty of the 2017 murder of 15-year-old Matlhomola Moshoeu, who they suspected of stealing sunflowers in a remote farming community.
The teenager died after being thrown out of a moving vehicle driven by the pair.
Moshoeu suffered a broken neck.
The case sparked riots and looting of white-owned businesses in the town of Coligny.
The men had claimed that the teen jumped off the back of the truck while they were driving him to the police station.
However, the court found it was Schutte who had thrown the teenager to his death.
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Doorewaard (28) has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder, 3 years for kidnapping, 2 years for intimidation, 1 year for theft and 2 years for pointing a firearm.
Judge Ronnie Hendricks says the sentences will run concurrently and he will serve an effective 18 years.
The 35-year old Schutte will serve 23 years effectively: 20 years for murder, 3 years for kidnapping, 2 years for intimidation, 1 year for theft and 2 years for pointing a firearm.
In handing down his sentencing, Judge Hendricks said the murders were not premeditated.
"The following are found to be substantial and compelling circumstances: 1) the offence of murder was not planned and premediated, but it happened at a spur of the moment. It can be induced form the evidence of Mr Phakisi that there must have been a chase resulting in the apprehension of the deceased and after the deceased was apprehended he was thrown head first from the van by accused number 2,"
However, Hendricks added that Schutte foresaw that throwing Moshoeu head first would lead to his death.
The Judge found that the pair's personal circumstances were included in the sentencing, but the circumstances of the case outweighed their personal circumstances.
"Mercy is also an element that the court must take in consideration in imposing an appropriate sentence. This court is mindful of the fact that none of these factors and circumstances should either be over or under emphasised but need to be carefully balanced in order to arrive at an appropriate sentence."