Express & Star

Two illegal immigrants who murdered two men in a campaign of violent robberies were today told they would spend at least 30 years in prison.

Gabriel Bhengu and Jabu Mbowane were told at Wolverhampton Crown Court of the minimum term they would serve of a mandatory life sentence.

They were yesterday found guilty of the murder of Sedgley father-of-five Andrew Owen and Neil Williams of Telford during the camapaign of robberies.

Judge Mr Justice Goldring recommended they should be deported after serving their sentences.

Victims were held in suffocating headlocks during the attacks.

Bhengu, aged 27, of Court Road, Newbridge, Wolverhampton, had denied two counts of murder and five of robbery but was found guilty of them all. Mbowane, aged 26, of the same address, denied two counts of murder and four robberies but was convicted.

Bhengu’s girlfriend Kashia Allen, 22, of Crosby Close, Farndale, was cleared of the murder of Mr Owen but found guilty of his manslaughter. She was also convicted of five robberies and will be sentenced at a later date after reports.

The jury returned with its verdicts at 3pm yesterday after more than five hours of deliberations over the course of two days. There were audible whispers of “yes” from the public gallery when Bhengu and then Mbowane were found guilty of both murders.

Outside the court, Mr Owen’s brother Chris said he was disappointed Allen had not been convicted of murder but was happy with the other verdicts. He labelled the trio “animals”.

Det Insp Paul Hughes, who led the double murder investigation, said he was “very