Uwe Gemballa’s killer has been arrested and sentenced to 20 years behind bars, according to The Times Live.
In what has been a story that has featured so many twists and turns, the latest development comes in the arrest of 28-year-old Thabiso Mpshe of Pretoria for his involvement in the murder of Uwe Gemballa. Mpshe was arrested last Friday before being sentenced to 20 years in prison in a Johannesburg high court later in the afternoon, a dizzying sequence of events that has taken this saga to new heights. Police spokesman Colonel Vishnu Naidoo was "not at liberty to say" if Mpshe had plead guilty or if a deal was struck, but something fishy is going on for this arrest, trial, and sentencing all to be done in a mere 24 hours.
Despite the arrest being made, the authorities are still in the dark as to how Gemballa was murdered adding even more questions to this bizarre story. According to police spokesman Colonel Vishnu Naidoo, “it is still unclear how Gemballa was murdered, but indications are that he was suffocated. He had no visible injuries.”
Meanwhile, Uwe Gemballa’s body is on its way back to Germany, according to Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the German consulate in South Africa. "The corpse is being flown to his home,” he said. “We have offered our consular services in terms of issuing official documents for customs and the like."
The arrest and subsequent conviction of Mpshe is the latest twist in a saga that has had more plots and turns than a mystery thriller novel. From the looks of things, we’re thinking that this won’t be the last news we’re going to hear regarding the murder of Uwe Gemballa. The whole secretive nature of this arrest and conviction only lead us to believe that authorities are on to something, and on to something big. Why else would such a high profile situation get pushed under the rug so quickly?
Slogans such as "fifteen minutes can save you fifteen percent on auto insurance", Flo and her Progressive shop, and the long haired man who talks about State Farm are just a few of the many automotive insurance companies that are after your business, so in order to find the right company for you it’s going to take some serious work.
It seems that too many people are listening to the commercials they see on television and basing their opinions on what the little characters have to say. We understand that shopping for car insurance is pretty dull, but it’s something that needs to be done in order to ensure that you and your car are protected in the event of an accident.
Automotive insurance is one of the most important things in the auto world because, let’s face it, there are plenty of drivers out there that don’t need to be on the road, and when they hit your car, you better be covered.
Hit the jump for our tips of buying car insurance.
Full story
California, a state that once tried to ban Happy Meals from McDonalds, has decided to take on distracted drivers. The state has proposed a regulation that would ban drivers from all types of cell phone use.
"GHSA supports a total ban of cell phone use (hands free and hand held) and text messaging for all drivers," the resolution obtained by The Detroit News says.
"GHSA also supports a ban on electronic devices used for entertainment purposes with video screens that are within view of the driver and a ban for school bus drivers on text messaging or using electronic devices except in emergencies."
If you read that correctly, it basically means that if you own a new Ford and live the Golden State, then the wonderful Sync system could put you in jeopardy. We all know that states have been cracking down on cell phone use, but hands free systems never seemed to be an issue. Needless to say, the automakers are a bit unhappy.
"We support state laws that ban texting or calling while driving if a driver’s using a hand-held device. But we realize people are going to have conversations, read maps and directions, and listen to music while they drive. Automakers have worked to make sure this can be done while still maintaining focus on the road," spokesman Wade Newton said to the Detroit News.
If this law does pass, it should be interesting to see how systems like Sync and OnStar will adapt.
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, has long been known for its street rods, customs, and replicas that are rarely seen on the roads of America. These are more like parade vehicles that are shown at exhibitions and, well, parades.
With these modified vehicles roaming the streets, state government had to find a way to make money off of them. Numerous states, including Washington, Florida, North Carolina, and California have enacted the SEMA-bill and now, Massachusetts joined the party.
Governor Deval Patrick signed the law in the legislation that will create a vehicle registration classification for these special vehicles. The new law will set parameters of what street roads, replica vehicles, specially constructed vehicles, and custom vehicles are.
“After 5-years of working with the legislature on various iterations of this bill, we are extremely grateful to State Representative Carolyn Dykema, in addition to Representative Brian Dempsey, Representative Joseph Wagner, Representative Charles Murphy and Senator Steven Baddour and their staffs for taking it over the last hurdle,” said SEMA VP of Government Affairs, Steve McDonald.
A benefit of this new law is that these vehicles are now exempt from emission inspections. That being said, specially constructed vehicles and replicas built after April 30, 2012 will be subject to emission requirements.
“This new law simply recognizes the immeasurable amount of time, money and attention automotive hobbyists invest in their cars. For many vehicle enthusiasts in Massachusetts and throughout America, building, maintaining and enjoying their vehicles is a favorite pastime. This new law represents an opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the hobby and to protect it for future generations,” said McDonald.
We’re guessing this isn’t the kind of start Suzuki was expecting with their new Kizashi sedan. Barely a year after the car was launched; it’s already facing its first recall issues. Not good. Not good, at all.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 5,701 Kizashi sedans – those that were manufactured from October 13, 2009 through May 31, 2010 - are poised to be recalled over issues with the center-lower glove box on the dashboard, which as it turns out, may open in the event of a crash possibly causing a potentially serious injury if it hits any of the front passengers.
The Kizashi recall is expected to begin sometime in the middle of July at which time Suzuki will be replacing the part in question at no cost to the car owners. In the event that you have a Kizashi sitting in your garage all nice and new, you might want to err on the side of caution and give Suzuki a call at 1-714-996-7040.
