Cape Town resident Justino Canhavano was sentenced to 45 years in jail on Tuesday, February 9 for a triple murder.
On May 5, 2019 Canhavano (42) got into an argument with his girlfriend at a shack in Harts Street in Happy Valley at approximately 3.15am, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk.
He confronted her for drinking alcohol with other people while leaving their child home alone. An argument ensued between Canhavano and the occupants of the shack and eventually, he was forced out of the building.
Canhavano returned and set the shack on fire with the occupants inside. The shack was totally destroyed and his girlfriend, Nomveliso Sithole (27), Sikelela Mihle (22) and a man known only as “Daniel” were killed in the blaze.
“The community assaulted the suspect, and police were notified, who arrested him. Later during the investigation, a confession was obtained from the suspect,” said SAPS.
The suspect initially appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court in May 2019 and the case was postponed to June in that same year for a bail application, which was eventually denied.
On Tuesday, the suspect appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty of the triple murder and sentenced to 45 years in jail.
After the ruling, the investigating officer Constable Timothy Harris, who is attached to the Serious and Violence Crime’s (SVC) unit at Mfuleni police station, declared “another killer off the streets.”
Western Cape SAPS management commended Harris for his “unselfish, hard work to bring about the suspect’s conviction.”
Picture: CTE Gallery