Durban - Young people who committed barbaric and despicable acts of violence against innocent and defenceless members of society should not expect a lighter sentence by claiming to rely on their relative youthfulness and immaturity.
Judge Rishi Seegobin made the comments in a reserved judgment handed down in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday, in turning down the appeal of Lindokuhle Khoza, one of three men who had killed Ekard Schutte, 76, his wife, Elizabeth, 66, and their son, Lutz, 33, at their farm in Richmond in March 2014.
Khoza and his accomplices were all given life sentences for the murder, 15 years for aggravated robbery and five for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Khoza was granted leave to appeal because he was under 18 when the murder took place.
After killing Schutte in his shed, the men went into the main house. Elizabeth was not there, so they waited for her to return and open the safe. She arrived with Lutz, whom she had just fetched from the airport. He was hoping to celebrate his dad’s birthday the next day, but was viciously attacked and murdered.
Elizabeth was then killed.
Each family member was stabbed repeatedly, their throats were slit and they were doused with petrol and set alight.
