By Staff Reporter
PRETORIA-Julius Lucas had been in the country illegally for more than 19 years, when he murdered Matwetwe actor Sibusiso Khwinana for a cellphone.
Judge Portia Phahlane further pointed out Lucas did not qualify for asylum and came to South Africa to look for job opportunities.
Phahlane sentenced Lucas to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances and eight years for contravening the Immigration Act in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday.
During the sentencing Phahlane pointed out that Lucas robbed South Africa of a true talent
While handing down her judgment, Phahlane detailed how Khwinana was murdered.
She said Lucas stabbed Khwinana through the heart with a sharp instrument in a “horrendous and cold-blooded manner”.Phahlane added:
While handing down her judgment, Phahlane detailed how Khwinana was murdered.
She said Lucas stabbed Khwinana through the heart with a sharp instrument in a “horrendous and cold-blooded manner”.Phahlane added:
The deceased was killed in a gruesome and senseless manner, showing the accused had no regard for the deceased’s life.
Khwinana, who was 25 years old at the time, was stabbed to death by Lucas in March 2019 during a robbery at Sterland Mall in Arcadia, Pretoria.
Khwinana had just attended a screening of Matwetwe, the locally produced movie he starred in.
The actor and his friends were waiting for a taxi on the steps of the mall when Lucas grabbed his cellphone and ran away at around 23:00. Khwinana chased Lucas and caught him, which was when Lucas stabbed the actor.
Phahlane said it was clear Lucas had the intention to kill if his victim fought back on the evening, he committed the robbery.
Lies, contradictions and asylum
She delved into testimony and reports on Lucas, which helped her come to the finding he was not remorseful.
Lucas maintained he did not commit the murder and was at home sleeping on the night of the incident. He never called a witness to corroborate his alibi.
Lucas claimed, without evidence, he was framed. He said this to the probation officer, who compiled a pre-sentencing report.
However, the court noted other contradictions between his testimony and the report.
Lucas told the probation officer he had a child, but in court he said it was his girlfriend’s child and could not even give the correct age of the minor.
He told the probation officer he once attempted to get asylum but was told by a Department of Home Affairs official it would cost R2 500.
However, during the trial, under cross-examination, he told the court he tried to get asylum papers on numerous occasions and a friend told him it would cost R2 500.
“The accused could not explain why he kept changing his version,” said the judge.
Lucas also told the probation officer he regularly paid for an asylum permit but that was established to be not true.
When he was arrested, he gave police a temporary asylum permit.
