LIMPOPO – This follows the recent heavy sentencing of six criminals by the Polokwane High Court, said Police Spokesperson, Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe.
The criminals were sentenced as follows:
William Lesetja Nkoana (23) from Mentz village outside Polokwane, was sentenced to two life in imprisonment and an extra 65 years for two counts of rape and three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“These sentences emanate from the two separate incidents which took place during December 2012 when the accused raped two women aged 23 and 24-years-old respectively. The accused threatened them with a firearm, took them from a local tarven to the local grave yard, where he raped them and then robbed them off their cell phones and other valuable items.”
Weekend Mabu (45) from Ga-Ragopola village in Driekop outside Burgersfort, was sentenced to 27 years imprisonment for crimes committed in 2011 and 2015.
“On 1 July 2011 the accused attacked and raped a 17-year-old victim from Diphale village and on 12 November 2015 he again raped a 26-year-old victim from Ga-Matipa village in Driekop village.”
He received 20 years for two counts of rape and a further seven years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, said Ngoepe.
In Northam in the Bela-Bela Cluster, four men were sentenced to a consolidated jail term of 35 years for murder and public violence.
The sentencing reads as follows:
- Mxolisi Nobela (42) received 15 years for murder plus a further 5 years for public violence.
- Clement Tsatsi (52), Sobazile Sifikile (42) and David Gcobani (40) each received five years imprisonment for public violence.
“These sentences emanate from an incident which occurred on 6 June 2016 when the four accused jointly attacked and killed Thembinkosi Mhlabeni (37) and dropped his body along the R10 Northam road. The deceased was a former employee at a platinum mine was attacked with a multiple assortment of objects. His body was found with multiple stab wounds.”
Investigations later revealed that the killing was driven by the conflict between two mine labour unions, explained Ngoepe.
General Ledwaba further condemned the tendency of mob-attacks and killings in the province and further warned all perpetrators of these offenses to brace themselves for relentless police members who are determined to deal with them mercilessly.
“We hope these sentences will bring about relief and closure to the affected victims”, he concluded.
