The Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court sentenced the four suspects arrested by the Alberton SAPS on April 14, 2022, for the Leondale Garage shooting.
Three people were shot in the incident. A regional ambulance took two to the hospital, and the other was declared dead on the scene and sent to the government mortuary.
According to the Alberton SAPS spokesperson, Captain Manare Ramotshela, the investigating officer relied solely on CCTV footage given to him by the garage to investigate the shooting.
He said the footage provided was unclear because the incident happened during the early hours of the morning.
“The matter dragged this long because of several postponements due to investigations. We also wanted to apprehend the fifth suspect in the matter as well, whom we believe shot the dead suspect,” he said.
Brought to the police station as evidence was a 9mm handgun and the getaway vehicle used by the suspects.
The culprits recently appeared before the local magistrate’s court for various charges, including three counts of murder, kidnapping and attempted murder.
Each of the four suspects received 15 years imprisonment for three counts of murder, eight years for kidnapping, and six years for attempted murder.
“The evidence that helped the investigating officer was cellphone records of the four suspects, now referred to as culprits. We, the Alberton SAPS, are proud of our members for ensuring these law breakers are put behind bars,” Ramotshela said.
Ramotshela said this conviction is a stern warning to other lawbreakers that the SAPS will arrest them and the law will deal with them.
The culprits will spend 29 years behind bars.
The fifth suspect is still at large, and the Alberton SAPS asks the community to come forward with any information that could help to arrest him.
