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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A 29-year-old Zimbabwean man was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Lephalale High Court in Limpopo Province for killing a South African doctor.

Petrus Standford Moyo was also sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder, another 30 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, one year for trespassing, 13 years for housebreaking and theft. He was slapped with a further three years for malicious damage to property, three years for escaping from lawful custody and another nine years for theft.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said Moyo was part of a group of armed robbers who shot and killed Dr Emslie aged 55, and injured his wife; also a doctor, at their farm outside Lephalale on September 20, 2017.

“The fatal attack took place in the evening around 8pm, when the deceased was sitting outside the house,” he said. “Moyo and three unknown accomplices armed with pistols attacked and shot the deceased and went on to shoot his wife.

“The wife was seriously injured and taken to hospital for medical treatment. The attackers fled the scene with the victim’s vehicle which was later found abandoned few kilometres from the farm.”

Col Ngoepe said Moyo was later arrested following joint intelligence operations by various police units.

He said while awaiting trial, Moyo escaped from the police holding cells, but was re-arrested on October 18, 2018 at Frankport in the Free State Province and subsequently convicted.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Province Major General Jan Scheepers said the arrest and conviction of Moyo was a milestone achievement.