Bhekisani Matabiswana, 27, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years and six months for the murder of 36-year-old Luke Harden. The killing occurred shortly after the two met at a Halloween party on October 31 at Rosemount Working Men’s Club in Stacksteads, Lancashire.
Matabiswana was arrested by Lancashire Police at Manchester Airport two days later as he attempted to flee to South Africa.
Matabiswana launched a sudden and violent attack on Luke Harden on Newchurch Road in Bacup shortly after midnight on 1 November. Police described the incident as a “frenzied and cowardly attack” that left Harden defenceless.
The court heard that the victim suffered extensive bruising, fractures to his nose, jaw, and larynx, as well as blunt force trauma to his head and neck, injuries which proved fatal.
Instead of calling emergency services, Matabiswana used Harden’s phone to contact the victim’s family and friends, falsely portraying himself as a Good Samaritan who had found Harden injured. Detective Inspector Pete MacDonald described this as “a sordid and sinister bid” to mislead both the public and police.
At Preston Crown Court, Matabiswana denied murder but was found guilty last week. The judge imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of sixteen and a half years, reflecting the severity of the attack and its tragic outcome.
Luke Harden was a model affiliated with Nemesis Model Agency in Manchester and was booked to DJ at the Halloween event where he met Matabiswana for the first time. His tragic death has sent shockwaves through the local community.
Originally published by UKNIP.
