Murderer who stole R3.5m gets life plus 40 years behind bars
Image: 123rf / Allan Swart
A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to life plus 40 years in jail after he and his partner stole R3.5m in Centurion, Gauteng, and then killed a man.
Kabelo Shiloane was sentenced on Monday in the Johannesburg High Court.
On August 6 2015, Shiloane and his co-accused, Arthur Burns, who has since died, forcefully took a Range Rover belonging to Daniel Theunissen, the NPA said. They also stole his cellphone and other possessions. Theunissen was released unharmed.
The next day, however, the pair and a third suspect, who was never apprehended, were involved in an incident which resulted in a murder and the theft of the R3.5m.
Times Select reported that Constandinos Karvouniaris was travelling on the N1 South, eventually stopping at the John Vorster off-ramp in Centurion at about 3pm. He was approached by men in the Range Rover.
The heavily-armed men exited the vehicle and opened fire on Karvouniaris. At least two bullets hit Karvouniaris, who was robbed of his firearm, ammunition and cash.
He died in hospital the same day.
The trio crashed the vehicle while trying to escape. Shiloane and Burns were arrested, while the third man escaped.
Arguing in mitigation of sentence this week, Shiloane’s legal representation told the court it should consider that he had no previous convictions, was relatively young and could, therefore, be rehabilitated.
Meanwhile, in aggravation, the state called Karvouniaris's sister, who testified that her 29-year-old brother's wife had given birth about the time of the incident.
She also explained how negatively the death had affected his brother’s wife. The state asked for life imprisonment, arguing that the murder was premeditated and the accused unremorseful for his gruesome deeds, said NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana.
Shiloane did not testify in mitigation of sentence.
He was sentenced on charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances, murder and attempted murder.
Judge Ratha Mokgoahleng dismissed his application for leave to appeal the sentence on the grounds that no other court would come to a different conclusion.