"Three gang members who caused mayhem in the Free State areas of Mangaung and Pelonomi in August 2016 when they targeted and killed two alleged ex-gang affiliates, have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each by the Bloemfontein High Court last Friday," said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha.

The trio was arrested by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit a week after Telang Chabeli and Tshepo Samusho were brutally stabbed and murdered outside their respective residential addresses near Bloemfontein in August 2016 after they had reportedly left the notorious BTK gang.

Simphiwe Madidilane, 21, received two 15-year sentences after he was convicted on two counts of murder while the 20-year-old Molefi Johannes Matlaeya and Kagisho Mziweni, 21, received 15 years each on one count of murder.

"The sentences have been ordered to run concurrently, meaning each will serve an effective fifteen years imprisonment,” said Captain Ramovha.

African News Agency (ANA)