Rustenburg - A minibus taxi driver found guilty of killing his girlfriend and her mother was sentenced to 25 years in jail by the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Seuntjie David Nakedi, 33, was sentenced to 45 years in jail, his lawyer Obakeng Ngwenya said - 15 years for each murder and another 15 years for the possession of an unlicensed firearm. But he would serve an effective 25 year jail term.
On Monday, Nakedi was found guilty of killing Tshepiso Moilwe, 28, and her mother Annah Moilwe, 44, at their home in Lethabong on 15 March 2013.
Tshepiso was shot in the stomach and chest, and her mother in the chest and chin.
Unanswered questions
Magistrate Cornelius Nel said at the time Nakedi's claims that the two were shot accidentally and that he went to their home after his girlfriend invited him there left many questions unanswered.
Nakedi told the court during his trial that he wrestled for the gun with Tshepiso when a shot accidentally went off, hitting her.
Nel said Nakedi did not explain how the gun ended up being aimed at the deceased.
"If they were wrestling for the gun she could have been hit in the side," Nel said.
He said Nakedi could not explain how Annah was shot while she was pulling him from behind.
Referring to the post mortem report, Nel said the bullet that struck Annah in the chin went through her throat and exited her back. Another bullet hit her in the thigh and exited behind her knee.
"Cellphone records did not indicate the deceased [Tshepiso] calling you... instead what is found is an exchange of text messages from the accused to the deceased [Tshepiso] and her reply."
Protection order
Nakedi had told the court Tshepiso called him to her parents' home in an attempt to reconcile after she obtained a protection order against him.
Nakedi said on arrival she opened the door for him. They went to her bedroom and they talked about their strained relationship. As he was leaving Tshepiso called him. He claimed that when he turned around she was pointing a gun at him.
While wrestling for the gun both she and her mother were shot.
He claimed he found the gun inside a bag in his taxi. He took it home with the intention of handing it to Lethabong police, but forgot.
Regret
In mitigation, Nakedi told the court he regretted killing the two and asked their family to forgive him.
He asked the court for a non-custodial sentence as he was afraid his taxi would be repossessed if he did not pay the monthly instalments.
"My other taxi was repossessed before I was granted bail," he said.
Nakedi was arrested near Magaliesberg, Gauteng, while consulting a traditional healer a few days after the murders.
Outside court the two families exchanged heated words and security guards separated them.