Man sentenced for stolen property confiscated on R101 outside Polokwane
The man (35) was arrested in January, with stolen goods worth R900 000.
POLOKWANE – The Polokwane Regional Court has sentenced Luxman Mazhandu to eight years’ imprisonment for the possession of suspected stolen properties.
Mazhandu was arrested on 20 January, alongside five others at the time. The five other suspects were later released according to Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe. “They were just passengers travelling home and could not be linked with the stolen items,” he explained.
Read more: Almost R1 million in stolen property confiscated on R101 outside Polokwane
Ngoepe said on the said date, Mazhandu was arrested during an intelligence driven joint operation. “Police received information about a minibus taxi pulling a trailer that was travelling with six occupants from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe. The vehicle was spotted along the R101 road at a fuel station, while refuelling and was taken to the nearby weigh bridge to be searched,” he added.
The vehicle was searched and police found 207 cellphones, five tower batteries, three solar panels and two laptops to the value of R900Â 000, concealed inside the trailer.
“The occupants could not disclose the origin of the items and did not have the receipts. The driver was arrested on the scene for being in possession of suspected stolen properties. Police confiscated the stolen items including the minibus taxi, which had an Eastern Cape registration number, as well as a trailer,” Ngoepe said.
Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba, Provincial Police Commissioner, said justice has prevailed. “The sentence imposed by the court will be exemplary to would-be criminals that their freedom will be limited if they intend to commit any criminal activities across the province,” Ledwaba remarked.
