Extortioner receives one year jail term
SELF-styled hitman Mkhuthazi Excellent Gxaleka, found guilty of extortion and attempted extortion, was yesterday sentenced to 12 months behind bars.
Good behaviour would see Gxaleka out of prison by June next year.
The 49-year-old called and sent text messages to Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo and Ngcobo-based medical doctor Litha Mboyana, claiming he had been hired to kill them. He demanded that they pay him in order for him not to carry out the hits.
He was sentenced to four years imprisonment, three of which were suspended for five years for extorting R100 000 in cash from Mboyana.
He was further sentenced to one year imprisonment for extorting a R15 000 bank deposit from the same doctor and a further one year for attempting to get the doctor to purchase him a vehicle valued at R120 000.
The sentences handed down by East London Regional Court 3 magistrate Nomthandazo Vabaza will run concurrently, meaning Gxaleka will spend just one year in prison.
In sentencing, the court took into consideration that he was a first-time offender and was married with three children.
The court also took into consideration that the Komani man had been in prison since his arrest in November 2014.
He would have qualified for the option of a fine but Vabaza found that he did not have money as he had been unemployed for a long time.
She said Mboyana suffered a great financial loss of R115 000 as a result of Gxaleka’s action, but found the sentence meted out was just.
The state wanted a sentence of at least 16 years imprisonment.
Gxaleka’s lawyer Ntsikelelo Manyisana said they would not appeal the sentence.
Speaking to the Dispatch outside on the court steps, Manyisana told the Dispatch: “This is justice and we are happy the matter is finalised”.— zwangam@dispatch.