Judge Ronnie Hendricks is expected to deliver sentence against Pieter Doorewaard, 27, and Phillip Schutte, 34, convicted of killing Mosweu of Scotland informal settlement in Coligny on April 20 2017, by pushing him from a moving van.

The pair killed Mosweu for the alleged theft of sunflower heads worth R80.

His death sparked violent mass protests that left six houses and three trucks torched and shops looted in Coligny as the town was divided along racial lines.

Doorewaard and Schutte have been found guilty of murder, kidnapping, intimidation, theft and pointing of a firearm.

Advocate Celice Zwiegelaar for Doorewaard told the court that his client had shown remorse.

"In sentencing, the court should consider what the society needs and not what the society wants," she said.

"The society in this matter does not need life imprisonment. My Lord, I am not saying accused one should not be punished. The society in this matter does not need life imprisonment as far as court one [murder] is concerned," Zwiegelaar said during mitigation of sentence.

Advocate Pieter Smit for Schutte said the two had already been subject to trial in the court of public opinion.

He asked the court to consider that Schutte was married with three minor children and is the sole provider for his family.

Prosecutor Rapula Molefe, however, said the court should impose a life sentence, adding that the two did not show remorse.

African News Agency (ANA)