Thieves sentenced to a year in prison

MECKLENBURG- The local Magistrate’s Court sentenced four men to 12 years’ imprisonment each on August 20 after they were found guilty of theft.

Vitamin Philimon Mokgotho (36), Thabo Mokgotho (30), Stekane Mashilo (28) and Taelo Kgaole (28) were arrested by Mecklenburg police with the help of security personnel from Braakfontein mine at Ga Mokgotho village near Atok.

According to the spokesperson of Mecklenburg police, Const Elias Setati, the men were arrested on March 21 while busy unwrapping the25 metre long copper cables that they allegedly stole, valued at R7 700.

Setati added that the sentence was going to send a strong message to communities in Tubatse that crime does not pay.

• In Jane Furse a 24-year-old man, Johannes Makgoale of Ga-Malaka village was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on two counts of rape. Makgoale was sentenced on Friday, August 23 in the Nebo Regional Court.

This follows a rape that occurred on July 14, 2013; Makgoale raped a 19-year-old women who was on her way from visiting a friend.

The Jane Furse cops also arrested a 21-year-old man residing at Ga Moretsele in Sekhukhune region on August 26 for raping a seven-year-old.

The police alleged that the suspect called the minor into his room on August 21 at about 15:00 when she came home from school where he raped her.According to information by the victim’s biological mother, the suspect is the brother of the victim and it is alleged its was not the first time.

Const Thapelo Lesufi, spokesperson of the Jane Furse SAPS, said a preliminary investigation revealed that the biological mother noticed that the victim was not well. “When she asked her if she had a problem she remained silent at first, but later told her that her brother raped her and gave her R5 if she would keep quiet.” The police urged the public, especially women, to report abuse and rape to police and stop negotiating such abuse as families.