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About Heila Kilian
Heila Kilian (1956 – 2018)
Brief overview:
Heila (62) was shot dead while attending a braai on a farm 2km outside the coastal town of Still Bay‚ according to police reports.
Police said Killian was a guest at a small braai hosted by the owner of the farm‚ which operates as a nursery and coffee shop.
“Preliminary investigation and witness reports reveals that the owner of Gezania Nursery and three friends were enjoying themselves at a braai in the garden situated in the back of the house when they were accosted by five armed suspects whose faces were covered with balaclavas‚ and all of them wore orange overall-type trousers‚” said Southern Cape police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie.
Witnesses said the men opened fire “without warning”‚ and Killian was hit and died on the scene.
Pojie said two male victims were then overpowered and handcuffed by the assailants but another female victim managed to flee into the bushes. She made her way to a neighbouring farm and raised the alarm.
“The suspects meanwhile ransacked the house‚ broke open the safe and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash‚ a collection of firearms including a shotgun‚ two rifles and a handgun‚ as well as a collection of hunting knives‚” said Pojie.
The suspects fled in the farm owner’s white Toyota Hilux with the registration number CCC 12419.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the bakkie was later spotted refuelling at a petrol station in Heidelberg‚ indicating that the suspects were en route to Cape Town after commission of the crime‚” said Pojie.
Brief Biography:
- Other Victims/Family
- Funeral/Memorial
- The Farm/Smallholding
- The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
Attack Details:
- Date and time of attack
- Weapons
- Items Stolen
- During the incident the suspects made off with two rifles, one shotgun and a handgun, as well as a white Toyota Hilux LDV.
- Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
- Torture, Gratuitous violence
- Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.
Perpetrator details:
- Number and Descriptions
- Four men
- Arrests
- Investigation by police led to the arrest of all four suspects.
- Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
- Sakhumzi Benya (29), Nkosihethu Nocuza (25), Nikani Msomi (25), Monwabisi Maki (23).
- Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
- Trial/Conviction
- Benya, Nocuza, Msomi, Maki, and Xolusani Myoyi (29), appeared before Judge Lister Nuku charged with her brutal murder, in court at the end of February 2020. The court case continues.
- Monday 9th March 2020 - "Judge Lister Nuku ruled this morning that the confession made by accused number three Nikani Msomi, which placed him at the scene of the crime was inadmissible, due to Msomi’s request to speak to a legal aid representative being ignored.
- The court is now hearing arguments on the admissibility of the confession of another of the accused, Samkumzi Benya. The defense is basing its argument on the fact that Benya’s confession was not made in the presence of a legal aid representative, even though he had previously asked for one. They also argue that he did not fully understand the consequences of making a confession, since he only has a Grade 4 education.
- State’s witness Sergeant A.B. Kamfer, the investigating officer, testified that Benya was so eager to give his confession that he agreed to do so even though there was no legal aid representative present. Benya was arrested in Philippi, Cape Town in August 2018, four months after the murder of Kilian took place."
- Sentenced at the Circuit High Court in George on Friday, 22 April 2022.
- Four of the accused, Sakhumzi Benya (32), Nomwabisi Maki (26), Nkosithethu Nocuza (28) and Msomi Nikani (28), were convicted and sentenced as follows:
- Charge 1 : Murder – Life imprisonment
- Charge 2 : Robbery aggravated – additional 15 years imprisonment
- Charge 3 : Robbery aggravated – additional 15 years imprisonment
- Charge 4 : Robbery aggravated – additional 15 years imprisonment
- Charge 5 : Possession of firearm without a license additional 6 years imprisonment
Additional Biographical Information:
Links to Media articles:
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Heila Kilian's Timeline
| 1956 |
1956
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| 2018 |
April 16, 2018
Age 62
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Stilbaai, Garden Route District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa
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