Whistleblower Babita Deokaran murderers sentenced after plea agreement
Six men accused of murdering whistleblower, Babita Deokaran have been convicted and sentenced after pleading guilty.
Deokaran was gunned down outside her Johannesburg home two years ago after dropping her teenage daughter off at school.
The 53-year-old, who was from Durban, was the Gauteng Health Department's Acting CFO and had been assisting in a corruption investigation into a PPE tender.
On Tuesday, Judge Motsamai Makume sentenced the men to six and 22 years imprisonment for the murder.
"Accused number one, in respect of count one you are sentenced to 22 years imprisonment. Accused number two, in respect of count one you are sentenced to six years imprisonment. Accused number three in respect of count one you are also sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.
"Accused number four you have been convicted on three counts being count one, count five and count six - in respect to count one for the murder you are sentenced to eight years imprisonment, count five and six which is for the possession of a firearm and ammunition have been taken together for the purposes of sentence you are sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Effectively your sentence will be 15 years imprisonment.
"Accused number five in respect of count one, the murder of Babita you sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Accused number six, in respect of count one you will also serve a sentence of 15 years imprisonment."
