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| South Africa: Four men get 18 years for killing lesbian | South Africa: Four men get 18 years for killing lesbian |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Four South African men have been sentenced to 18 years in jail for stabbing and stoning to death 19-year-old lesbian Zoliswa Nkonyana in 2006. | |
| The court found that the men killed Ms Nkonyana because she was living openly as a lesbian. | The court found that the men killed Ms Nkonyana because she was living openly as a lesbian. |
| A crowd outside the court in Khayelitsha, a Cape Town township, cheered and danced at the sentencing. | A crowd outside the court in Khayelitsha, a Cape Town township, cheered and danced at the sentencing. |
| The constitution protects people on the grounds of sexual orientation - but homophobia is widespread. | The constitution protects people on the grounds of sexual orientation - but homophobia is widespread. |
| Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi and Mbulelo Damba were each given 18 years - with their jail terms each suspended for five years. | |
| Five other people were acquitted. | |
| Ms Nkonyana was stoned and stabbed nine times in February 2006. | |
| The magistrate said it was clear the motive for the killing was hatred and homophobia - and Wednesday's sentence was meant to send out a signal that violence based on sexual orientation will not be tolerated, the South African Press Association reports. |