Three men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, attempted murder and business robbery with aggravating circumstances, while a fourth man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.
The four men were involved in armed robberies of shops in Tsenelong and Moriting sections in October 2014, the last of which ended in a dramatic chase and shoot-out with the police.
Sebatjane Jacob Magwai, Petros Thabiso Mampa, Emmanuel Mashailane and Thami Sengatse Lefusi were sentenced in the Johannesburg High Court in December.
Magwai, Mampa and Mashailane were each sentenced to two life sentences for murder and 30 years for three counts of attempted murder. For robbery with aggravating circumstances, Magwai and Mashailane were sentenced to an additional 15 years and Mampa to an additional 30 years, while Magwai received a further 22 years for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. In each case, all sentences will run concurrently with the murder sentence.
The fourth accused, Lefusi, was sentenced to 30 years for three counts of attempted murder (the sentence for one count to run concurrently with the sentence for the other two) and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
According to Tembisa SAPS communication officer, Captain Manyadza Ralidzivha, the crimes took place in October 2014, starting when the four men, with ages then ranging from 26 to 37 years, entered a spaza shop in Tsenelong section.
“They entered the shop and pointed the owner with a firearm and robbed him of an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes,” said Captain Ralidzivha. “A few days later they went to rob another shop in Moriting section. They robbed the shop and the shop owner was shot. They fled the scene.
“A member of the community who witnessed the robbery chased them on foot,” explained Ralidzivha. “They shot towards him. They stopped a taxi and pointed the driver with a firearm. He was shot in his upper body and at the back. They left the taxi and boarded another taxi. The driver was forced to drive the vehicle. He was driving whilst pointed with a firearm.”
Meanwhile, the member of the public who was still chasing them saw a police vehicle and flagged it down.
“He pointed them the vehicle of the suspects, and the police gave a chase until the car stopped at Leboeng section,” Ralidzivha continued. “The four suspects shot at the police. Police returned fire and the taxi tyre was hit. Two suspects jumped out of the car. The man who was chasing them from Moriting section was still on their heels. He was throwing them with stones. They were chased and arrested. One was found still inside the vehicle. A fourth suspect was traced and later arrested.”
He said the four men were identified during an identification parade.
“They were identified for the scene at Tsenelong section, where they shot and killed the driver when they left the shop,” added Ralidzivha.
Tembisa SAPS station commander, Brigadier Ndebele, congratulate Detective Sergeant Melesela Moloantoa for his excellent work on the case.
“Moloantoa left no stone unturned when he was investigating this case and secured a heavy sentence. I further congratulate the member of the public for his bravery in chasing the suspects until they were arrested,” Ndebele added.
