Retired Brigadier Joseph Jongile was gunned down in his Bayville home in 2021. Photo: supplied
Cape Town - The man who murdered former East London top cop, Brigadier Joseph Jongile, has been sentenced to 22 years imprisonment in the East London High Court.
Brigadier Jongile retired in 2014. He was the Eastern Cape Provincial Operational Response Services Commander.
German Billa, 21, a Mozambican national, was convicted on charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful entering and remaining in South Africa in contravention of Section 49 of the Immigration Act of 2002.
On May 14, 2021, Brigadier Jongile was murdered in his Bayville home when his house was stormed by three armed men.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, the armed men forced the son at gunpoint to knock at the main house on the premises.
“On hearing the commotion downstairs, Jongile went downstairs to rescue the situation where he was shot, and he died instantly.
“The other house inhabitants were tied and placed in separate bedrooms. The gunmen ransacked the house and took valuables, including cell phones, laptops, money and bank cards. Other victims were unharmed but left traumatised,” Mgolodela said.
The gunmen fled the scene with the cop’s bicycles carrying the stolen loot.
Earlier this week, Billa pleaded guilty to charges against him.
The court sentenced Billa to 22 years direct imprisonment for murder, 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances and six months imprisonment for unlawful entering and remaining in South Africa in contravention of Section 49 of the Immigration Act 2002.
The court ordered the sentences imposed shall be served concurrently.
Billa will be serving an effective 22 years and six months in prison.
Mgolodela said two suspects are still at large, and their arrests are imminent as the Hawks are hot on their trail.
Provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Obed Ngwenya, commended the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in East London for securing a successful conviction.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL