White farmers jailed for murder of black teen in S.Africa

A South African court on Wednesday handed jail terms of 23 and 18 years to two white farmers who murdered a black teenager suspected of stealing sunflowers in a remote farming community.

Pieter Doorewaard, 28, and Philip Schutte, 35, were found to have killed 15-year-old Matlhomola Mosweu on April 20 2017, after claiming they caught him taking a plant from a farm in the area.

Doorewaard was jailed for at least 18 years and Schutte was jailed for at least 23.

The boy died after being thrown out of a moving vehicle driven by the pair and suffering a broken neck, in a case that sparked rioting and looting of white-owned businesses in the town of Coligny.

The men had claimed that the teen jumped off the truck as they drove him to the police but it was Schutte who was found to have thrown the boy to his death.

Judge Ronald Hendricks previously also found the pair guilty of kidnapping and intimidation.

"Murder is undoubtedly the most serious offence that can be committed," said Hendricks.

"You picked up the deceased and threw him from the van onto the ground.

"Your actions that day... were indeed disgraceful." Ahead of the sentencing, Schutte's wife fixed his collar and kissed him in the dock.

The judge paused as his comments were translated into Afrikaans, the language often spoken by white farmers in South Africa.

"It cannot be ignored that the community revolted as a result of this incident," added the judge.

"This was largely because of the inaction of the police.

"The community of Coligny was polarised as a result of this incident."