Policeman who shot pub owner and wounded bouncer jailed for 20 years

The Johannesburg high court on Monday sentenced a police officer who killed a pub owner in Kagiso to 20 years’ imprisonment. 

Nocanda Brian Makhosonke, 41, assaulted his girlfriend outside the pub on the West Rand by punching and kicking her on January 28 last year.

A bouncer intervened and grabbed Makhosonke to remove him from his girlfriend. The woman got into a car with friends and left as the bouncer ordered Makhosonke to leave the pub. 

He later returned with his service pistol and demanded entry into the pub, which was denied.

He then tried to shoot the bouncer, but the bouncer ran inside. Makhosonke followed him in and started shooting randomly in the pub full of patrons and left.  

“He shot and wounded the bouncer and ended up killing the owner of the pub. The accused was arrested at his house on the same day of the incident,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said. 

Arguing for a harsh sentence, prosecutor Phaladi Makgoro said Makhosonke should have reasonably foreseen that a person could be killed when he fired his gun in a pub filled with patrons. 

He was an officer of the law who was trained on how and when to use his firearm but chose to disregard that and should therefore be sentenced proportionally to the gravity of his offences. 

The court sentenced Makhosonke to 20 years’ imprisonment for murder, eight years for attempted murder and three years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The court ordered the sentences run concurrently. 

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