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Former Zuma pilot can appeal against prison time

Pule Ramolefi, a former pilot to President Jacob Zuma, may not appeal against his conviction for murder.

Earlier this week, the Alexandra Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg sentenced Ramolefi to 15 years in prison for murdering the man his wife had had an affair with. Feeling that this was “shockingly inappropriate”, Ramolefi, 50, asked for permission to appeal his conviction and sentence.

But Magistrate Gideon Scheidler on Thursday dismissed the first part of the application, granting Ramolefi leave to appeal only against his sentence.

In April 2013, Ramolefi and his wife were at a car wash when he spotted Sibusiso Buthelezi, a young chemical engineer whom his wife had an affair with in the past.

A pre-sentencing report compiled by private social worker Mosidi Sennelo describes how a scuffle broke out between the two men, seemingly because Buthelezi “did not take kindly to [the] rejection”, and how Ramolefi reached for his pocket knife in self-defence.

On Thursday, Ramolefi’s lawyer, Charles de Beer, said the court erred by not taking into account that the knife's blade was only 4-6cm long, nor that Buthelezi attacked Ramolefi from behind, “viciously and unprovoked”.

De Beer said that Ramolefi did not intend to kill Buthelezi and that he should have been convicted of assault or culpable homicide.

Scheidler dismissed this version and said: “It is clear from the facts that [Ramolefi’s] version is not reasonably possibly true… it is impossible.”

The court found that Buthelezi, bleeding from one stab wound, was chased by the pilot until he fell to the ground before Ramolefi stabbed him again in the neck.

Prosecutor Percy Ramushu said Ramolefi’s actions were “irresponsible”.

“Being the sophisticated person that he is, it is disturbing that he acted in the manner that he did,” Ramushu said.

Ramolefi had been employed with the South African Civil Aviation Authority since in 2003, and had been tasked with flying “the country's dignitaries… as well as the number one citizen of South Africa [President Jacob Zuma]”.

Ramolefi had offered the Buthelezi family R400 000 to set up a trust fund in Sibusiso’s name to “continue his legacy”. As further penance, he said he would provide aviation training to underprivileged young people.

Ramolefi's appeal against his sentence will now head to the high court.

 

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