Evaton killers jailed for life after brutal triple panga murder
· Citizen
Two Evaton men who hacked three people to death with a panga over stolen drugs and a firearm have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
The court described the assault as a brutal and senseless attack that demanded their permanent removal from society.
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Patrick Mphindeli Mkhwanazi (39) and William Mbuyiswa (29), both from Evaton, appeared in the Sebokeng Regional Court on Monday 28 July 2026, where the sentence was handed down.
Trial
The duo was each sentenced to life imprisonment on three counts of murder and 15 years’ direct imprisonment for attempted murder.
During the trial, both men pleaded not guilty and denied committing the offences. However, State Prosecutor Vusi Mbabane presented compelling evidence that proved their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mitigation
In mitigation of sentence, the defence submitted that both men were first offenders, relatively young, and employed, and requested the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the State argued that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances warranting such a deviation.
“Prosecutor Mbabane submitted that both men had shown no remorse for their actions and had brutally attacked the victims based solely on unsubstantiated suspicions.
“He further argued that the offences violated the victims’ constitutional right to life and that society expected a sentence that would serve as a strong deterrent to others,” Mahanjana said.
Sentence
Mahanjana added that in sentencing, the Magistrate agreed with the State’s submissions, finding that both men had shown no remorse and had committed exceptionally violent offences that are prevalent in communities across the country.
“The court held that, despite their youthfulness, the seriousness of the crimes warranted their removal from society to protect innocent members of the public.
“Accordingly, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a lesser sentence and imposed the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment,” Mahanjana said.
Murder
The court heard that the grim murder occurred in the early hours of 22 February 2023 when Mkhwanazi and Mbuyiswa went to one of the deceased’s places of residence in Evaton.
On arrival, they found four men; they then had an altercation with them, accusing the four men of stealing Mkhwanazi’s drugs and firearm.
During the argument, Mkhwanazi and Mbuyiswa began to assault the four men with a panga and other unknown weapons, resulting in three men dying on the scene and one man being injured.
According to the NPA, neighbours who heard the argument called the police, and both Mkhwanazi and Mbuyiswa were arrested on the scene, and the injured man was taken to the hospital.
“Mkhwanazi and Mbuyiswa have been in custody since the NPA successfully opposed their bail applications.”
Justice
The NPA reaffirmed its stance on violent crime, stressing that it will pursue tough sentences to reflect the seriousness of offences, safeguard communities, and uphold justice, adding that it is committed to ensuring violent offenders face the full weight of the law.