The six men convicted and sentenced for Babita Deokaran’s murder. Picture: Timothy Bernard African News Agency (ANA)
The six men sentenced for killing Gauteng health department financial accountant, Babita Deokaran, have given investigators the names of at least three more people linked to her murder.
The men entered into a plea agreement with the State and the case did not go to trial.
“They revealed three more people that were with them on the day, one of them was alleged to be the middleman,” a source close to the investigation has revealed to IOL.
On Tuesday, 31-year-old Phakamani Hadebe was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment, 29-year-old Nhlangano Ndlovu to six years.
Sanele Mbhele, 29, was sentenced to 22 years, Siphakanyiswa Dladla, 27, to 15 years — eight years for murder and seven years for possession of a prohibited firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. Zitha Radebe, 32, was sentenced to 15 years, and 30-year-old Siphiwe Mazibuko to 15 years imprisonment.
Deokaran was shot on August 23, 2021. At the time of her death, Deokaran has been assisting with investigations into personal protective equipment (PPE) tender scandals which rocked the department.
Meanwhile, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, on Wednesday said the accused detailed how they scouted and traced Deokaran's movements on two separate occasions before she was killed.
She said photographs of Deokaran's home and her vehicle were sent to a person known as "Khanyisani Mpungose", who was introduced to them by Hadebe.
"Mpungose was fingered as the person that approached Hadebe, seeking to deal with Deokoran as she was 'problematic'. They stated that on August 23, 2021, Mpungose arrived with an unknown male who joined them to execute the plan of killing Deokoran.
“They added that they were driving in two separate vehicles that followed Deokoran to Columbine Square and thereafter to her home,” Mjonondwane said.
“Along the way, she stopped to pick up her domestic helper and as she brought her car to a halt, one of their vehicles stopped alongside hers and Mpungose and the unknown male, fired several shots towards Deokoran’s car. Thereafter, both vehicles fled the scene,” she said.
Mjonondwane said the court considered that there were substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment, citing that, the accused pleaded guilty, and they spent two years in prison awaiting the finalisation of the trial against them.
“Further, they provided information about other people that were involved in Deokoran’s killing that was not known to the State. The court further considered the interest of justice and that of society, as well as the personal circumstances of the accused,” the NPA said.
Meanwhile, Deokaran's brother-in-law pastor, Tony Haripersadh, told the SA Broadcasting Corporation that while they welcome the fact that the men have been sentenced, they will only get closure after the mastermind has been identified and the person who ordered the crime is brought to book.
IOL