Trio sentenced to 705 years imprisonment for terrorising various communities

Three Limpopo gang members have been handed combined jail terms of 705 years by the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday for terrorising communities in the Mopani District.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the trio were convicted on 19 charges which include kidnappings, murder, assault, attempted murders and possession of firearms and ammunition, between 2017 and 2018.

Investigation

Ledwaba revealed that the conviction came after the trial commenced in 2019, and was cemented by detective work that also involved investigators from various banks.

“Three members of the gang, Calvin Congo Mabunda (42), Sibusizo Shamase Mkhwanazi (43) and Bhova Sticks Nkuna (54) began their horrendous acts by targeting the district due to a high number of pensioners who were having a habit of withdrawing large amounts of cash in Giyani, Bolobedu, Malamulele and Mokwakwaila policing precincts respectively.”

“Spotters in the bank would observe the withdrawal and once the victims had left the premises, other members of the criminal group would be alerted and the unsuspecting victims would then be followed,” said Ledwaba in a statement on Wednesday.

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Following their victims home

According to reports, the men also followed their victims home from the bank and broke down their front doors and robbed them in their houses.

In one incident, Mabunda held a knife to a woman’s throat after she had bought beer and food for a lobola celebration.

The gang’s crimes spiralled across Giyani and resulted in the police forming a special task team to arrest them.

In January 2018, the suspects were apprehended after robbing a Superspar employee at gunpoint.

“The employee allegedly collected R20 000 worth of change from the bank to be transported to the supermarket that is situated in the area. He was allegedly followed by the accused and during the robbery, a shot was fired and drew the attention of police who were patrolling nearby.”

“Police gave chase and cornered Mkhwanazi and Mabunda at Homu 14 village. The following day, a blue car that was also involved in the robbery was spotted and police were able to arrest Bhova, after a chase and shoot-out that left a patrol van with a bullet hole in it.”

More offences

After the trio’s arrest, police say the crimes stopped and more investigations linked the suspects to other offences that took place in Gauteng and North West and by 2019, there was enough evidence to go to trial, with all the cases across the three provinces centralised at the South Gauteng High Court.

“I’m delighted about the permanent removal of the three accused from society. The suspects who never showed any remorse while committing these barbaric acts. This is exemplary to would be criminals that crime does not pay,” concluded Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.

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