Duo harshly punished for railway thefts, more charges await
On Wednesday, Sizwe Khaba (36) and Rhison Makhamba (42), was sentenced to eight years each direct imprisonment by the Middelburg Regional Court for railway infrastructure damage and contravention of the Immigration Act.
Khaba was sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment plus two years for being in the country illegally, the sentences will run concurrently. Makhamba was also sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment on the same charges.
On November 2018, the Hawks received information about suspects stealing railway lines around Middelburg, Stoffberg and Laersdrift. Middelburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation, crime intelligence, Middelburg Vispol, Transnet Security Services and Afriguard security kept observation and the suspects were caught in the act of removing the railway lines.
The accused made several court appearances after their bail attempts were denied. Both Khaba and Makhamba have pending cases for which trial has been set for October at the same court.
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