Congolese man sentenced for Irishman’s murder
a congolese national has been sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in the western cape high court on tuesday.
mitspa nzakomba oyoka was convicted of murder, theft, fraud and illegally remaining in south africa.
According to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila, Oyoka was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for the murder of 63-year-old Irish national John Francis Curran, three years’ imprisonment for theft, three years’ imprisonment for fraud and 12 months’ imprisonment for illegally remaining in the country.
Oyoka entered into a plea-and-sentencing agreement with the State.
He confessed to the court that Curran had made “inappropriate advances” towards him and this led to the murder on November 6, 2018. The pair are alleged to have become acquainted several weeks before.
He said he arrived at Curran’s apartment at a Cape Town hotel, where they had a drink, and that was when inappropriate advances were made towards him, which he rejected.
Oyoka stated Curran persisted to make advances and tried to convince him to engage in inappropriate conduct.
At one point he went to the toilet to relieve himself and that was when Curran followed him.
