Two white South African farmers who forced a black labourer into a coffin last year, have been sentenced to periods of 11 and 14 years in prison respectively.
The offenders, Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson assaulted the black boy named Victor Rethabile Mlotshwa, before putting him in a coffin. They also took a video and put it up on social media for amusement after humiliating the poor boy.
The attack which went viral, sparked national outrage when it hit social media.
They were later arrested and found guilty of attempted murder, kidnapping, intimidation and two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in August.
Oosthuizen and Jackson had maintained they had done nothing wrong and defended the assault by accusing Mlotshwa of stealing copper cables.
However‚ Mlotshwa said they had suddenly attacked him as he waited to hitchhike to town. He claimed to have been beaten with a knobkerrie as his assailants threatened to burn him alive.
At the High Court sitting in Middelburg‚ Willem Oosthuizen was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment, five of which are suspended for eight years on condition that he’s not found guilty of any other offense. His co-accused Theo Jackson was handed a 19-year jail term, with five years suspended on similar terms.
Judge Segopotje Mphahlele who handed them the sentence described the crimes as appalling‚ disgusting and dehumanising.
She also accused the pair of showing no remorse for what they did throughout the trial.