Austin Luciano Reynold, a South
African police constable who was found guilty of the murder of Ebuka Okoli, a
Nigerian, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The court sentenced Reynold on
Monday, three days after he was pronounced guilty of all four charges preferred
against him — one charge of murder and three charges of robbery.
Twenty-four-year-old Reynold was
accused of killing Okoli, a native of Anambra state, in Durban, a coastal city
in Kwa Zulu-Natal province in South Africa, in 2018.
The officer shot Okoli at close
range and robbed him during an unauthorised raid on the community where Okoli
resided.
Reynold’s accomplice in the raid,
Brinley Pallo testified against him while giving his testimony before Shyam
Gyanda, the presiding judge, on Friday.
Reacting to the news of the
conviction earlier, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora
Commission (NIDCOM), expressed relief, saying justice has been served.
“We are glad that justice has
been done,” she said.
“We had always stated that there
have to be consequences for actions. We are glad that this case finally came to
an end and South Africa has demonstrated the political will to deal with
xenophobia.”
She asked Nigerians in South
Africa to adhere to President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition to be on their best
behaviour where ever they are.
She also said Nigeria and South
Africa will work towards a united Africa and bring to justice perpetrators of
violence irrespective of their nationality.
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