Bhekisani Matabiswana, 27, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 16 years and six months for the murder of 36-year-old Luke Harden. The killing happened shortly after the two met at a Halloween party on October 31 at Rosemount Working Men’s Club in Stacksteads, Lancashire. Lancashire Police arrested Matabiswana at Manchester Airport two days later as he tried to flee to South Africa.
Brutal Attack After Party
Matabiswana launched a sudden and violent attack on Luke Harden on Newchurch Road in Bacup shortly after midnight on 1 November. Police described it as a “frenzied and cowardly attack” that left Harden defenceless. The court heard the victim suffered extensive bruising, fractures to his nose, jaw, and larynx, and blunt force trauma to his head and neck, which proved fatal.
Deceptive Cover-up
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. Det Insp Pete MacDonald labelled it “a sordid and sinister bid” to mislead the public and police.
Court Verdict
At Preston Crown Court, Matabiswana denied murder but was found guilty last week. The judge ordered a life sentence with a minimum term of sixteen and a half years, reflecting the severity of the attack and its tragic outcome.
Victims Background
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. The tragic death has sent shockwaves through the local community.
