An Alex man’s lawless spree ended after police nabbed him asleep and high on drugs at one of his victims’ home.
Douglas Lekgoli (29) was sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail with prospect for parole only after 13 years – subject to good behaviour and provided if no other crimes are levelled against him.
Lekgodi, who was represented by the Legal Aid, was found guilty on five accounts by Magistrate Reneir Boshoff at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court. The crimes were years of robbery with aggravated circumstances which he was sentenced to 15 years for the illegal possession of two firearms and four years for the possession of illegal ammunition.
He committed the crimes on 12 and 25 October this year at two homes on 16th and 18th avenues. At the first home, he forced entry in the early evening and used an illegal firearm to demand phones and other valuables from the occupants and also broke a safe where he stole a licensed firearm.
At the second home, he also forced entry in the early hours of the morning. Using two illegal firearms, he demanded the occupants’ phones while smoking drugs and drinking alcohol. He further robbed them of R500. Also, he was carrying a bag with jewellery and cellphones which he bragged to have robbed from taxi occupants and the taxi driver. When the drugs were finished, he ordered one of the occupants to go buy more which he again smoked. Meanwhile, the victims used any available chance to spike his drink which, combined with the drugs, made him pass out on a chair enabling the occupants to report to the police who nabbed him asleep with the guns.
In mitigation, Lekgodi said his criminal spree was induced by the loss of a brother who died while working for a local drug baron who forced him to break into homes to steal for a reward of drugs.
The taxi robbery by Lekgoli may be yet another case, if the victims come forward which may result in further charges being laid.
