South African Farmers Willem Oosthuizen (left), 30, and Theo Jackson (right), 29, were sentenced for attempted murder, among other charges, after their attack on a black man which involved forcing him into a coffin
Two white farmers, who forced a terrified black man they caught on their land into a coffin and threatened to throw in a snake and burn him alive, were sent to prison today for attempted murder.
Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Jackson were also sentenced for kidnapping, assault with GBH and intimidation in a trial that highlighted the deep racial divisions in South Africa.
The pair were sentenced to a combined 35 years after a court was shown a horrific two-minute long video of them threatening their victim, trapped inside a coffin, as he pleaded for his life.
Married father of two Oosthuizen, 29, pictured, was sentenced to 16 years with five years suspended, meaning he will serve 11 years
The video, recorded by the farmers, showed the helpless Victor Mlotshwa (pictured in court) with his hands clasped in prayer, whimpering as he was forced to lie down in the casket. Mlotshwa was seen begging for his life as his tormentors tried to close the lid on him
The victim describing the coffin attack told the packed courtroom: 'Jackon opened the coffin and told me to get into it. Oosthuizen told me he would shoot me if I ran away'. The horrific video shows the pair threatening to burn their victim alive and throw a snake inside the casket
The video, recorded by the farmers, showed the helpless Victor Mlotshwa with his hands clasped in prayer, whimpering as he was forced to lie down in the casket.
Mlotshwa was seen begging for his life as his tormentors tried to close the lid on him, claiming to have found him trespassing.
Married father of three Jackson, 30, was sentenced to 19 years, with five years suspended, meaning he will serve 14 years.
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