Two men linked to an armed robbery in Hekpoort were recently found guilty and sentenced.
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A statement from the Hekpoort police spokesperson Sergeant Gloria Maswanganye said that the 33-year-old Pogiso Lazarus Molefabangwe from Damhoek and 39-year-old Lucas Billy Jabavu from Munsieville were found guilty by the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court and sentenced respectively. Molefabangwe was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment while Jabavu was sentenced to 14 and six months. Both of them have also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Sergeant Maswanganye explained that the now convicted criminals were arrested after being found in possession of stolen goods by Warrant Officer Esterhuizen, who was working at the Hekpoort Police Detectives at the time and with the assistance of a security officer from Oostermoed Security, two firearms and ammunition were also receoved.
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After the two perpetrators were charged, the docket was assigned to Detective Sergeant Trevor Nhlapo and his team who was able to link the docket with an armed robbery case that happened in Hartebeesfontein in Hekpoort in 2018.
“The team left no stone unturned gathering all necessary evidence. Despite the call by the South African Police Service to surrender illegal or unwanted firearms and ammunition using the firearm amnesty that ended January 31, 2021, community members chose to remain with them,” Maswanganye said.
The case was then taken over by Detective Sergeant Lebeko who gathered the evidence that was brought before the Krugersdorp Magistrates’ Court. Both men were found guilty of armed robbery, housebreaking with the intent to steal, theft and possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as ammunition.
Acting Hekpoort police station commander Warrant Officer Baldwin Munene welcomed the sentence.
