Three sentenced for double murder in Polokwane
The three men were found guilty and sentenced for the murders of Veronica Mahanyele and Lethabo Madigage whose charred remains were found inside Mahanyele’s burnt vehicle.
LIMPOPO – The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the hefty sentences handed down to three men for the brutal murders of Veronica Mahanyele and Lethabo Madigage in 2018.
https://www.citizen.co.za/review-online/251224/burnt-body-identified-missing-polokwane-woman/
Veronica Mahanyele (47) ,who was an employee at the Limpopo Department of Land Affairs, was hijacked on February 8 while on her way to work. Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo explained that her body was found dumped along the Matlala road near Newlands.
“The suspects dumped Veronica’s body then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. There thereafter withdrew money from her bank account,” he said.
It is believed that on the same day they kidnapped Lethabo Madigage (21). “During the incident they raped her and then stoned her to death before they put her body in the back of the stolen vehicle and set it alight. The burnt out vehicle was later found near Christina village at ga-Maraba.”
At the time the cases were assigned to Constable Mokhepo Vivian Gafane who is attached to the Provincial Investigating Unit. A team of investigators derived from the Provincial Tracking Team and Provincial Investigating Unit was also assembled to track down the killers.
In April the police had a major breakthrough in the case and the three accused, Kenneth Tumishi Sebushi (25), Lesibana Johannes Khalo (26) and Lehlogonolo Mabokela (30), were cornered in Kalkspruit village in the Seshego policing area and arrested.
Items belonging to the deceased were also found in their possession during the arrest.
Mojapelo explained that the accused were linked to several crimes committed around Polokwane (ie. Five armed robberies, possession of stolen motor vehicles in Benoni and Springs respectively. “They were targeting hitch-hikers on the Matlala road, the R37 road between Polokwane and Lebowakgomo and the N1 road to Gauteng.”
The sterling work conducted by the Galane and his team of investigators led to the conviction of all accused. They were sentenced in the Limpopo High Court, Division Polokwane on Friday as folows:
Sebushi was sentenced to two life sentences plus an added 60 years’ imprisonment while Khalo recived two life sentences with an extra 45 year’s imprisonment. The third accused Mabokela was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment. “He is already serving a life sentence for a murder he committed last year,” Mojapelo said.
