A Welbekend man, caught with the carcasses of slaughtered cattle, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment on Thursday, police said.
Jabulani Maxwell Sebeko (59) pleaded guilty to being found in possession of stolen livestock last week, said Welbekend police spokesperson Sergeant Tsietsi Lamola.
Sebeko was sentenced at Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court to 18 months’ imprisonment with the condition that he must not be found guilty of the same offence for five years. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
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“The state accepted Sebeko’s plea and ordered him to sign an agreement to compensate the complainant for the loss caused. He agreed to pay the complaint over a period of 10 months as he was ordered by the court and today he managed to pay a portion of the amount in question,” Lamola said.
Prior to the sentencing, Sebeko’s defence abandoned his bail application at the Welkebend periodical court.
Sebeko was arrested last week Thursday when local police officers stopped a Nissan bakkie along the R50 Road between Bapsfontein and Bronkhorstspruit. Four men got out and fled into the bushes.
The driver (Sebeko) was the only one arrested.
“The bakkie was loaded with chunks of slaughtered cattle which Sebeko could not account for,” Lamola said.
Through investigations, three cattle were found slaughtered in Bronkhorstspruit, he said.
Sebeko was also linked to 12 cases of stock theft and one case of possession of suspected stolen goods.
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The other four suspects are still at large.
The Welbekend station commander Lieutenant Colonel Carel Cronje welcomed the sentence and applauded the police for their good work.
“I am sure this sentence will be an example to criminals,” said Colonel Cronje.
“To the members of the crime prevention unit, keep up the good work and use whatever resources you have to make our area a crime-free zone.
“And well done to members of the detective service involved in this case. They worked tirelessly to secure a conviction and sentence.”
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