Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Namibian citizen, Urbanus Shaumbwako, who is one of five individuals accused of breaking into the Phala Phala farmhouse of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has been handed a 20-year jail term in that country.
South African media reported that Shaumbwako was sentenced last week Thursday in the Cape Town Regional Court.
Shaumbwako, aged 41, faced a myriad of charges, including possession of prohibited firearms, obstructing justice, and reckless driving.
His sentencing came as a result of investigative work by the South African Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks.
The sentencing breakdown revealed that Shaumbwako was sentenced to 15 years of direct imprisonment for each count of unlawful possession of firearms, with counts two to twelve running concurrently.
Additionally, he received two years of direct imprisonment for obstructing justice, a fine of R6,000 or 12 months imprisonment for negligent and reckless driving, and a further two years of direct imprisonment for related firearms charges.
This effectively amounts to a 20-year direct imprisonment sentence for Shaumbwako, who was also declared unfit to possess a firearm by the court.
His arrest in Cape Town in October 2020, following a dramatic encounter with City of Cape Town traffic officials, led to the discovery of firearms in his possession, ultimately resulting in his conviction in March 2024.
