Ndudi Anyim
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Eastern Cape, Lt. -Gen. Liziwe Ntshinga has once again lauded the excellent collaboration between investigating officers and prosecuting authority in making sure gangsters are removed from communities within the Province and sent to prison for their heinous crimes.
The applause comes as one Neaven Demingo, 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) High Court, for two separate murders.
It was gathered that on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, four friends were standing next to a Municipal Electricity Sub-station building in an open field next to Hibiscus Street, Extension 31, Bethelsdorp, when two unknown males approached them with firearms.
Ntshinga said: “ Both males produced firearms and started shooting at them. Austin Tembula, 20, and Fernando Asia, 27, sustained gunshot wounds to their heads and face. The other two males ran away and were not injured. Two cases of murder and two cases of attempted murder were opened.
“ On May 18, 2019, police were patrolling in Velocia Street in Ext 33 in Bethelsdorp when they saw a group of about 50 people standing in the street. When they stopped, they were informed of a shooting that took place and that the injured person was taken to hospital. It was later established that the injured person known as Jacques Richard Roberts, 24, had passed away due to multiple gunshot wounds.
“ Both cases were under investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation (Gang Investigation). On May 20, 2019, Demingo was arrested at a drug post in Ext 31 for the murder of Roberts. While appearing in court for Robert’s murder, he was arrested and charged for the murders of Tembula and Asia. He remained in custody until the finalisation of the cases.
“ On Wednesday, March 31, Demingo was sentenced to life imprisonment for three murder charges; attempted Murder, five years imprisonment; unlawful possession of firearm on two separate occasions, 15 years each; and illegal possession of ammunition on two different charges, three years each. ”
He stated that the sentences will run concurrent with the life sentence, adding that in order to create a crime free society, an integrated approach is paramount in ensuring that criminals are arrested and brought to court and sentenced.
“ Due to the effective relationship between investigators and the prosecuting authority, communities can be assured of sentences such as these. At the end of the day, justice must be served for the victims and their families through successful prosecution, ” he said.