103 years in prison for six criminals convicted
Six criminals will spend several more Easter holidays in jail after they were sentenced to a consolidated term of 103 years last week for murder, carjacking and armed robberies.
LIMPOPO – In Roossenekal outside Groblersdal, Elmon Masango (19), was sentenced to an effective 18 years imprisonment without a fine by the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane for killing his own grandmother, Kgarebe Stephina Masango, aged 81, at Padda Dam farm on 14 May 2017.
He pleaded guilty to the murder charge where he stated that the sole objective was to take a cash amount of money that was to be received by the deceased at the time for the sale of her farm.
The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the South African Firearms Control Act.
In Mecklenburg outside Burgersfort, Calvin Ntsoane (34), Eric Sekonye(28) and Nthabiseng Mputla (38) were each sentenced for carjacking and armed robbery by the Burgersfort Regional Court.
The court heard that in 2016 at Jibeng village, the two male accused used the female accused to pretend as if she was hitchhiking at a particular hiking spot.
Motorists stopped to offer her a lift and subsequently the two accused would emerge from the nearby bushes and rob the victims from their belongings while at gunpoint.
Accused Calvin Ntsoane was sentenced to an effective 30 years’ imprisonment.
Eric Sekonye was sentenced to an effective 30 years’ imprisonment and Nthabiseng Mputla was sentenced to 10 years on both offences.
In Lephalale, Lukas Magwai (29) and Jan Makolota (28) were each sentenced to an effective 15 years’ imprisonment.
The sentencing was for murder and handed down in the Lephalale Regional Court.
The court heard that on 22 March, at 4:00 at Marapong Extension 4, the accused assaulted the deceased, aged 30, with a brick.
The assault caused his instantaneous death.
Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba commended the detectives who worked with professionalism and dedication leading to the conviction of the six criminals and said the harsh sentencing will send a strong message to other criminals out there that crime does not pay.
