Limpopo: Re-arrested N1 highway robbers jailed
Three escaped prisoners who were re-arrested this past weekend were sentenced for a spate of armed robberies committed along the N1 road since 2019.
LIMPOPO – Three prisoners who were re-arrested after they escaped from police custody last week, were handed hefty sentences for their involvement in a spate of armed robberies along the N1 road.
John Fine (36), Clifford Mutonhori (34) and Figos Madisha (34) were among a group of four men who escaped from police custody along the R101 on Wednesday.
Also read: Be on the lookout for these four escaped prisoners
They were re-arrested on Saturday during a joint operation conducted by the police together with various role-players such as AfriForum Pietersburg, AfriForum Potgietersrus, community policing forums and the Heritage Protection Group.
The fourth escapee, 39-year-old Dennis Hove (pictured above) is still on the run.
Read more: Limpopo: Three escapees re-arrested near Eersbewoond
The rearrested trio together with a fourth suspect, Benge Frans Baloyi (48), appeared in the Mokopane Regional Court on Tuesday, (July 27) and were sentenced for a spate of armed robberies and other crimes that were committed along the N1 road between Limpopo and Gauteng since 2019.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Mojapleo said the four men had terrorised motorists along the N1 road since 2019. “The suspects targeted motorists who either stopped on the roadside to relieve themselves, experienced breakdowns or got punctures along they way after driving over spikes placed by along the road. They would rob the victims at gunpoint,” he explained.
At the time a team of investigators was assembled to, in a coordinated manner, investigate all the cases that were being committed along the N1. “Det Capt Schutte from Bela Bela, Det Capt Mogotlane from Mokopane and Det WO Rossouw from Modimolle formed an integral part of of this team. Their teamwork paid off when they succeeded in cracking the cases,” Mojapleo said.
Fine, Madisha and Mutonhori were each sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment on four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three counts of possession of illegal firearm. Fine and Mutonhori each faced an additional charge of contravening the Immigration Act.
Baloyi was handed 20 years’ imprisonment for four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and three counts of possession of illegal firearm and ammunition.
Fine, Mutonhori and Madisha still face charges of escaping from lawful custody, robbery of a firearm, two counts of truck hijacking and attempted murder. They will appear on these charges soon, Mojapleo concluded.
