Mastermind of Chester Butcheries truck hijacking jailed for life over killing of metro officer

The Durban High Court has jailed the man it found to be the mastermind behind a Chester Butcheries truck hijacking that ended in the fatal shooting of a metro police officer. The sentences were handed down on Wednesday.

Who was sentenced and for which crimes

Judge Garth Harrison sentenced Mlungisi Phakamani Mpanza to life imprisonment for murder. Mpanza was also given 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and three years for kidnapping. The judge ordered those terms to run concurrently.

Mpanza’s co-accused, Mzomuhle Lawrence Gamede, received 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and three years for kidnapping, with those sentences running concurrently.

What happened during the hijacking

The hijacking took place on 20 July 2023, when Mpanza and Gamede seized a Chester Butcheries meat truck on the M7 near Queensburgh. The truck was carrying meat with a declared value of R731,530. The driver, Kishore Lakraj, was kidnapped during the incident.

About 50 metres after the truck was taken, its gears locked and it stopped on an M7 off-ramp facing oncoming traffic. Durban metro police officer Errol George Ogle stopped his patrol vehicle to investigate the stranded truck. Before he could exit his vehicle, he was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

Evidence and sentencing remarks

Evidence before the court showed that Mpanza organised the robbery and intended to sell the stolen meat to another butchery. The judge considered the personal circumstances of both men, noting they were first offenders who had elected not to testify in mitigation.

Judge Harrison found there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from prescribed minimum sentences. He said there was no reason to depart from the minimums of 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and three years for kidnapping, and that the prescribed minimum sentence for Mpanza’s murder conviction was life imprisonment because the victim was a police officer.

Aftermath and next steps

Both men, who were implicated by a Section 204 witness named Vuyokuhle JamJam, indicated they intend to appeal their convictions and sentences. The applications for leave to appeal were expected to be heard on Thursday morning.

Family reaction

Outside court, Ogle’s widow, Faith Ogle, welcomed the sentence and expressed gratitude to police and the prosecution. She said,

“It’s been a very long journey, and at times it felt like justice would never prevail. Today, I welcome Judge Harrison’s decision. It brings closure, and now it’s time for healing.”

Faith said she and her two sons were slowly coming to terms with their loss:

“There are fewer tears now, and we are starting to laugh again. Happiness is slowly returning to our home. We have finally accepted what happened.”

Commenting on the planned appeals, she said,

“Judge Harrison is very level-headed and sober-minded. I don’t think he is going to budge. I am confident.”

Personal details noted at sentencing

• Mpanza, aged 33, is unmarried and the father of three children.
• Gamede, aged 41, has four children.