Dangerous Mankweng criminal behind bars
After close to a year of processing his trial matters, Tshepo Stephen Botabota also escaped a police vehicle while being transferred to the Polokwane prison.
POLOKWANE – Tshepo Stephen Botabota (29), a serial criminal from Mankweng, was handed down a combined sentence of 85 years last Tuesday, meted out by the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane following a delayed sentencing after he escaped from custody in February while awaiting trial.
Botabota committed a series of house robberies and murder in Mankweng between 2021 and 2022, and was also accused of having used a firearm to threaten students at their off-campus residences before robbing them of their laptops and cellphones.
The court heard that on April 17, 2021 Botabota assaulted a 37-year-old man with a stone while on his way home from work.
The victim was taken to Mankweng Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries while under medical treatment, the police’s Col Malesela Ledwaba said.
After close to a year of processing his trial matters, Botabota escaped a police vehicle while being transferred to the Polokwane prison.
At the time, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said an additional charge of escaping from lawful custody was added to the charge sheet.
The police described Botabota as “dangerous” and stated categorically that the public, should they be able to locate him, instead contact the investigating officer, Lt Col Stimela Kanyane, as opposed to confronting the suspect.
Investigating officer Sgt Samuel Malemela took over the matter, and was lauded by provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe for “having permanently removed Botabota from the community,” a police statement reads.
