An Alex man, who confessed to having an addiction to crystal methamphetamine, was recently sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court for housebreaking and theft, crimes he committed to obtain money to maintain his drug habit.
However, the three-year sentence for the theft charges was suspended and the suspect will now only serve four years for housebreaking. His mother commended the sentence, saying prison would safeguard her son from members of the public who would hurt or kill him for his criminal actions.
The court heard that Tshepiso Mahana (27) was arrested on 13 January.
It was said that the victim locked her shack in Marlboro at about 8am to take her child to a nearby creche. When she returned 20 minutes later, she was shocked to find the door open and the accused inside with her clothes strewn all over the place along with clothes he had stolen elsewhere. The suspect also stole R45 from the victim’s purse he had found in the shack.
The victim was said to have screamed and attracted neighbours to the scene. When they arrived, they questioned Mahana. The accused was said to have admitted to breaking the lock with a knife and then argued that he had entered the shack to attempt to sell the clothes to the victim.
The neighbours searched the suspect and found the R45 he had stolen in his pockets. Alex police were contacted and after arriving at the scene, Mahana confessed to the crime and was arrested.
The suspect had stolen a track suit, T-shirts and a sweater from the first victim. After his confession, Mahana led the officers to the location and rightful owner of the clothes, who then identified them as his own.
