Body parts dealer jailed for life

A Mozambican man who was arrested when selling human body parts in Limpopo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

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Polokwane – A Mozambican man who was arrested when marketing human body parts in the streets of Malamulele in Limpopo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and dealing in body parts.

Samson Majoko, 36, was found guilty by the Makhado High Court division for possession of human tissue as well as murder, and for dealing in body parts. He was sentenced to an effective life term on Tuesday.

He was arrested in June 2014 after he was found in possession of body parts, including sexual organs, which he had carried in a plastic bag.

Police, acting on a tip-off, found Majoko in possession of male private parts and two hands.

The discovery prompted further police investigations, and a day later detectives found the body of a man from whom the parts were thought to have been cut.

The victim is believed to be a Mozambican who was lured from Mozambique to South Africa on a promise that he would secure a job. Instead, police suspect he was butchered for his body parts.

The man was lured to Xiphuraphureni, an isolated settlement for Mozambicans near Malamulele where he was killed.

Judge France Nare found that Majoko had premeditated the killing and did not show remorse during the trial, and further that there was no compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life for the charges Majoko faced.

Nare said the state had proved beyond a reasonable doubt Majoko’s involvement in the crimes.

In handing down sentence, Nare said Majoko did not appear to be “remorseful” over the murder.

The judge also agreed with the state that Majoko was a violent person, given a previous assault conviction.

ANA

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