An Eastern Cape man serving a 25-year prison sentence in a Johannesburg prison for murder has apologised publicly for his brutal crime.
Luthando Ntunja, of Mthatha, was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for killing Gonubie resident and father of three, Eddie Meier 16 years ago.
Ntunja, now 37, was 21 when he committed the crime. His sentence was later changed to 25 years imprisonment and he is now being considered for parole.
The Meier family in East London have forgiven Ntunja for the murder but said they were not happy that he was being considered for parole.
The parties have written to each other, and the Meiers even went a step further to give Ntunja money in prison for food.
Meier’s son, Nigel Meier, told the Daily Dispatch: “While we respect the legal process, we find it disheartening that Mr Ntunja is eligible and will be receiving parole after serving only 15 years of a life sentence.
“We, as a family, do not wish to engage with Mr Ntunja beyond what has already taken place, preferring to remember and celebrate Eddie’s life for the special person he was.”
In his letter, published in the Classified section of the Daily Dispatch today on page 11, Ntunja is contrite about the pain and sadness he brought to the Meier family in June 1999.
“I take this opportunity to apologise profusely for the grief I have caused you and your family by taking the life of your father, brother, husband and grandfather. I know that nothing I do and say will ever bring him back and as I sit here writing this apology, I know the extent of hurt I have put your family through,” Ntunja wrote.
He continued: “I have served time and have undergone numerous and all relevant rehabilitation programmes which the Department provides. I write to you, this time as I am now looking to be paroled sometime this year. I have, in June 2015, met with the parole board and the board has recommended my release.”
When he was killed, Meier was delivering farm equipment to a Ngcobo hardware store. After offloading, he was reversing his bakkie when Ntunja came running towards his direction armed with a pistol.
Nigel said yesterday that his father had finished making deliveries when Ntunja, who had committed an armed robbery nearby, fired a shot and hijacked his father for a getaway vehicle. He shot him in the upper body.
Ntunja then dragged him out of the bakkie and fled the scene. Meier died on the scene.
Ntunja was arrested two days later by police.
Gauteng Correctional Services spokesman Ofentse Morwane said the parole board had recommended that Ntunja be released on parole. “The matter has now been forwarded to the office of the minister and the decision to release the offender on parole rests with that office.”
Speaking from Leeuwkop Prison in Gauteng where he is incarcerated, Ntunja said: “The advert is something I have been needing to do to make my heartfelt apology clear to the family.”
- This is the full response from the Meier family:
It is unfortunate that Mr Ntunja has chosen to publicise publicly what was regarded as a private matter that had been adequately addressed many years ago.
While we respect the legal process, we find it disheartening that Mr Ntunja is eligible and will be receiving parole after serving only 15 years of a life sentence for what was a horrendous crime, this despite his claimed remorse and rehabilitation.
We as a family do not wish to engage with Mr Ntunja beyond what has already taken place, preferring to remember and celebrate Eddie’s life for the special person he was. - Nigel Meier, victim’s son
Killer’s public appeal for forgiveness
Luthando Ntunja, of Mthatha, was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for killing Gonubie resident and father of three, Eddie Meier 16 years ago.
Ntunja, now 37, was 21 when he committed the crime. His sentence was later changed to 25 years imprisonment and he is now being considered for parole.
The Meier family in East London have forgiven Ntunja for the murder but said they were not happy that he was being considered for parole.
The parties have written to each other, and the Meiers even went a step further to give Ntunja money in prison for food.
Meier’s son, Nigel Meier, told the Daily Dispatch: “While we respect the legal process, we find it disheartening that Mr Ntunja is eligible and will be receiving parole after serving only 15 years of a life sentence.
“We, as a family, do not wish to engage with Mr Ntunja beyond what has already taken place, preferring to remember and celebrate Eddie’s life for the special person he was.”
In his letter, published in the Classified section of the Daily Dispatch today on page 11, Ntunja is contrite about the pain and sadness he brought to the Meier family in June 1999.
“I take this opportunity to apologise profusely for the grief I have caused you and your family by taking the life of your father, brother, husband and grandfather. I know that nothing I do and say will ever bring him back and as I sit here writing this apology, I know the extent of hurt I have put your family through,” Ntunja wrote.
He continued: “I have served time and have undergone numerous and all relevant rehabilitation programmes which the Department provides. I write to you, this time as I am now looking to be paroled sometime this year. I have, in June 2015, met with the parole board and the board has recommended my release.”
When he was killed, Meier was delivering farm equipment to a Ngcobo hardware store. After offloading, he was reversing his bakkie when Ntunja came running towards his direction armed with a pistol.
Nigel said yesterday that his father had finished making deliveries when Ntunja, who had committed an armed robbery nearby, fired a shot and hijacked his father for a getaway vehicle. He shot him in the upper body.
Ntunja then dragged him out of the bakkie and fled the scene. Meier died on the scene.
Ntunja was arrested two days later by police.
Gauteng Correctional Services spokesman Ofentse Morwane said the parole board had recommended that Ntunja be released on parole. “The matter has now been forwarded to the office of the minister and the decision to release the offender on parole rests with that office.”
Speaking from Leeuwkop Prison in Gauteng where he is incarcerated, Ntunja said: “The advert is something I have been needing to do to make my heartfelt apology clear to the family.”
It is unfortunate that Mr Ntunja has chosen to publicise publicly what was regarded as a private matter that had been adequately addressed many years ago.
While we respect the legal process, we find it disheartening that Mr Ntunja is eligible and will be receiving parole after serving only 15 years of a life sentence for what was a horrendous crime, this despite his claimed remorse and rehabilitation.
We as a family do not wish to engage with Mr Ntunja beyond what has already taken place, preferring to remember and celebrate Eddie’s life for the special person he was. - Nigel Meier, victim’s son
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