None of the men convicted of the murder of Rhythm City actor Dumi Masilela showed remorse throughout the course of the trial.

This was a submission by prosecutor Adv Josie van der Westhuizen, who argued that the court should deviate from the minimum prescribed sentences for the charges that the five murder convicts were found guilty of.

Bongani John Masombuka, 34, Sfundo Harrison Nkosi, 33, Khumbudzo Solomon Mukhuba, 27, Brian Makhubedu and Mashudu Malema, 31, were found guilty in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for a raft of charges, including the August 2017 murder of Masilela.

In aggravation of sentence, Van der Westhuizen told the court that the five knew Masilela.

“They fled to North West and continued with their crime spree. Between Aug. 3 and 5, the accused had time to reflect on what they were doing and change their ways.

“Instead, they went to another province and five days later went back to robbing vehicles. Even after hearing [about] Dumi’s death, they did nothing. They did not care that he died.”

She further argued that the court should sentence the five based on common purpose even though Mukhuba was fingered as the triggerman.

“Although accused number three [Mukhuba] shot Dumisani, the others made it possible for him to shoot him. Even if they were upset with him, they knew he had a firearm [during their crime spree]. The firearm was loaded to overcome resistance, not just to threaten [victims]. This does not exonerate the other accused and this crime was committed in common purpose,” said Van der Westhuizen.

The matter was rolled over to Wednesday when judge Papi Mosopa is expected to hand down sentencing.

On Monday, Masilela’s mother Sabatha Masilela took the stand and told the court that she lost her job as a teacher after falling into depression after her son’s death.

She told the court her son and his 72-year-old aunt Grace Mahlangu both died on Aug. 3 in 2017.

Today marks exactly four years since Masilela died after a botched hijacking in Tembisa on the East Rand.

“I don’t know who can take that pain. His death has affected me badly. I lost my teaching job because I was ineffective. Some of these boys here were in the same school [where] I taught, Eqinisweni High School [in Ivory Park, Midrand],” she testified.

She said Masilela’s death had an adverse effect on his two siblings and that they were trying their best to take care of her.

“The other one has resorted to drugs and alcohol abuse because of how this matter has affected him. We cannot afford to get help for him. His wife has moved on and has a child with another man. I lost my job and I believe none of these things would have happened if he [Dumi] was still alive,” she said.