ON Monday a South African police constable, Austine Luciano Reynold was sentenced to 30 years in prison, on a four-count charge bordering on robbery and the murder of a Nigerian, Ebuka Okoli.

Reynold was found guilty of a four-count-charge, levelled against him, three of which pegged on robbery and one on the murder of Okoli.

In 2018, Okoli was reportedly murdered in Durban, in Kwa Zulu-Natal province in South Africa by 24 years old Reynold at a close-range shot and robbed him of his possessions in the process.

An accomplice in the raid, Brinley Pallo, who turned out to be a state witness, testified against the accused before the presiding judge, Shyam Gyanda on Friday, November 29, stating that he wanted justice, duly served.

Reacting to the verdict, the minister of Trade and Investment, Nigerian Consulate General, Johannesburg, Bello Sambo, expressed satisfaction noting that the case had lasted for a year and all that the Nigerian government wanted was justice.

Also, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on her part said, “We are glad that justice has been done”, stating that there were consequences for every action.

“We are glad that this case finally came to an end and South Africa has demonstrated the political will to deal with xenophobia,” she said.

She urged Nigerians resident in South Africa to be well behaved as admonished by President Muhammadu Buhari, wherever they find themselves.

She said Nigeria and South Africa will continuously work at a United Africa while those who perpetrate crime irrespective of their nationality should face the penalty for their actions.