The Mpumalanga High Court, sitting in Middelburg, has sentenced a man to life in jail for shooting and killing a two-year-old boy.
Vincent Chunky Phahlane, 44, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, theft of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm with ammunition, and discharging a handgun in public.
In 2020, Phahlane fatally shot Vaalbank resident Akanyang Maite, who was two years old.
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The court heard that on November 30, 2020, Phahlane grabbed his father’s weapon and went to hunt for his ex-girlfriend at a school where she taught in Vaalbank. After phoning her and asking her to come outside, which she ignored, he opened fire on the school.
He then headed for the home of another ex-girlfriend in Vaalbank. When he met with the woman’s aunt, he claimed to be looking for his ex-girlfriend’s child.
During this confrontation, he shot little Akanyang, his ex-girlfriend’s nephew. Phahlane also shot the screaming aunt, who had a gunshot wound to her jaw but survived.
On the day of the incident, Phahlane took the handgun to his uncle and requested that it be returned to his father. He went into hiding for a month before turning himself into authorities on January 7, 2021. On June 5, 2023, Phahlane pleaded guilty.
The court sentenced Phahlane to life in prison for murder, eight years for attempted murder, seven years for theft, possession of a firearm, and three years for possession of ammunition.
The judge ordered that Vincent Chunky Phahlane sentence run concurrently with the murder term. Phahlane was also deemed unable to possess a handgun.
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