ELEVEN of 12 men convicted of the Jeppestown massacre were yesterday given four life sentences each by the Johannesburg High Court for the murders of four policemen.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng also gave them 40 years in jail each for other crimes relating to the incident.

Fanie Schoeman, brother of slain police sergeant Gert Schoeman, told journalists: “I’m happy that it’s over, but we can’t say that justice has been served, because they took my brother away.

“The message that the judge gave to other criminals is a good one … Police are there to protect us. It doesn’t matter what background you come from, you should know what is right and what is wrong,” he said with tears in his eyes.

The 12th man and “prime mover” behind the Pick n Pay robbery in Honeydew that eventually led to the bloody shootout in Jeppestown two years ago, Senzo Mweli, 29, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

He was also sentenced to five years for attempted murder, which would run concurrently with the 20-year sentence.

Twelve civilians and four policemen were killed in the shootout at a house in Jeppestown on Sunday June 25, 2006 . — Sapa