Twin brothers will spend an effective 12 years in prison after killing their sister-in-law’s boyfriend.

28-year-old Siyamthanda and Luvo Gontsana were sentenced at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday by Magistrate Lebogang Leshaba.

The brothers from Dieplsoot‚ north of Johannesburg‚ stabbed Samuel Mokgane to death in September 2016. They found the deceased in the shack that their brother shared with his wife‚ Andisiwe Diko.

Leshaba described Diko as a credible state witness during the murder trial.

In her statement‚ which was read as evidence in court‚ Diko said she tried to stop the two from attacking Mokgane‚ but they both pushed and overpowered her.

“Samuel [Mokgane] also tried to plead with them to not stab them. He asked them to talk but they refused to listen‚” Leshaba read from Diko’s statement.

As the magistrate went through the sentence‚ the duo showed no emotion and had their heads bowed most of the time. None of their family members were seen in the public gallery.

Going through the sentence‚ Leshaba said the brothers failed to show remorse and said direct imprisonment was the only suitable sentence.

“You both pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and at no point did you admit what you did. You never told the court why you did what you did. Even after the court found both of you guilty‚ you maintained that you were innocent‚” Leshaba said.