News from the local magistrate’s courts

The following cases were recently finalised in the Boksburg/Vosloorus magistrate’s courts:

Theft

• Adriaan Johannes Bester of Mokopane was sentenced to six years imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm for stealing a car.
He pleaded guilty and was found guilty and sentenced on October 20.
The vehicle he stole on February 15, a Hyundai, was the property of New Beginnings.
Magistrate Shilubhana presided and prosecutor Mooiman represented the State.

• On October 17, Nkosana Thinta of Vosloorus was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for stealing four chocolates, valued at R159, 95 from a Shoprite store on August 14, last year. Thinta, who was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, pleaded guilty and was found guilty on September 7.
Magistrate Cronje presided and prosecutor Mokwathi represented the State.

• Raynold Manepa Dikgale of Germiston was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of theft on October 18. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. On October 3, Dikgale stole items valued at R4 418 from the Leroy Merlin store.
Prosecutor Lingani represented the State.

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• Nomachina Hlongwa, of Soweto, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to and being found guilty of theft on October 21. Hlongwa was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. On September 17, the accused stole items worth R5 814,63 from Checkers.
Magistrate Viviers presided and prosecutor Lingani represented the State.

• On October 11, Hennie Cornelius Muller, address unknown, pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of and sentenced on a charge of theft. He pleaded not guilty to and was found not guilty of tampering with essential infrastructure and an alternative count of malicious injury to property. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
On May 30, Muller stole copper cable from a council street light pole.
Magistrate Shilubhana presided and prosecutor Mooiman represented the State.

Housebreaking

Christiaan de Villiers of Witfield was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, of which two years are suspended for five years, for housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft. He pleaded guilty and was found guilty and sentenced on October 17. On April 11, de Villiers broke into the garage of a house in Lilianton and stole a gas bottle, car battery charger, toaster, jumper cables and car jack and a grinder.
Magistrate Shilubhana presided and prosecutor Mooiman represented the State.

Robbery

Sibusiso Mabuza, address unknown, was sentenced for robbing a man of his bicycle, cellphone and wallet on June 16. Mabuza was arrested on the same day. He pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of common robbery and sentenced on October 13, and declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Magistrate Shilubhana presided and prosecutor Mooiman represented the State.

Malicious damage to property

Aldeno Olifant of Reiger Park was sentenced for attempting to cut the cables in an electricity box and breaking a tap, both valued at R1 000, on August 7 at the St Anthony’s Centre in Reiger Park.
He was found guilty on two charges – an alternative charge of attempted malicious damage to property (count one) and trespassing (count two). He was sent to prison for 18 months on count one. Olifant pleaded guilty to both charges and was found guilty and sentenced on October 19.
The passing of sentence on count two (trespassing) was postponed for three years and the accused was released unconditionally but ordered to appear before the court if called upon to do so before the expiration of the said period.
Magistrate Viviers presided and prosecutor Lingani represented the State.

Contravention of the Immigration Act

Rabohlale Rabohlale of Ravenswood pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of and sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment for contravening the Immigration Act, on October 19.
On August 21, the Lesotho national was found to be in the country illegally as he was without valid documentation.
Per a provision of the Act, he is to be deported on completion of his sentence, and the clerk of the court, as per the sentencing annexure, was ordered to notify the director general of Home Affairs and the commissioner of Correctional Services to this effect.
Magistrate Viviers presided and prosecutor Lingani represented the State.

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