The Free State High Court has ensured that a Mozambican national will spend the rest of his life behind bars following his conviction for the murder of Sergeant Disema Steven Mapane. The sentencing, handed down yesterday, concludes a high-stakes investigation into a violent confrontation that erupted when police tracked a robbery suspect to his hideout.

The charges stem from a December 2022 operation in Thabong, where Mapane was part of a multidisciplinary team acting on intelligence. The officers were investigating an armed robbery at a Welkom petrol station that had occurred the previous month, identifying Firmino David Matola as a primary suspect, reports Parys Gazette.

When the team arrived at Matola’s residence, the situation escalated into a deadly shootout. Sergeant Mapane was fatally wounded in the exchange of fire. Following a manhunt, Matola was eventually apprehended on September 21, 2023.

At the time of his sentencing, the 55-year-old was already incarcerated at Polokwane Correctional Facility, serving time for a separate cash-in-transit heist committed in Hoedspruit, Limpopo.

The court imposed a life sentence for the murder of Sergeant Mapane, alongside two additional life sentences for the attempted murders of two other officers present at the scene. Further penalties included 15 years for the illegal possession of an AK-47, and dual 12-month sentences for unlicensed ammunition and immigration violations. Matola was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Brigadier Paulus Mbongo, Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks in the Free State, praised the diligent work of the investigating officer. He further commended the National Prosecuting Authority for their role in securing justice for the fallen officer and his colleagues.

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