LIMPOPO – 23-year-old Zwanga Mbonani Mashawa has been sentenced to three life sentences for the murder of a police constable in 2015.
According to Hawks Organised Crime Unit reports, Const Malesela Stanley Mokonyana (43) who was then stationed at the Modimolle POP unit was deployed to the Giyani Policing precinct during turmoil over municipal demaractions in February 2015. “He was in Thohoyandou on private business when he was attacked and killed. He was also robbed of his cell phone and money.”
Through the efforts of seasoned investigator Capt Matimba Maluleke, the three accused, Zwanga Mbonani Mashawa, Khuliso Cedric Mbodi and Tshifelimbilu Norman Mundalamo were arrested.
Mbodi turned state witness and was acquitted on all charges. During the investigations Mashawa was positively linked to the murder and robbery of the deceased and was linked to several other cases in which his co-accused, Mundalamo, was involved in.
The two accused appeared before the Thohoyandou High Court on 20 October and Mashawa was sentenced as follows:
Count 1: Murder – life imprisonment
Count 2: robbery under aggravating circumstances – life imprisonment
Count 3: defeating the ends justice – 3 years imprisonment
Count 4: rape – 15 years imprisonment
Count 5: robbery under aggravating circumstances – 15 years imprisonment
Count 6: rape – life imprisonment and
Count 7: robbery under aggravating circumstances – 15 years imprisonment.
All sentences will run concurrently with count 1.
Mundalamo was sentenced as follows: Life imprisonment for rape and 15 years for robbery under aggravating circumstances. The sentences will run concurrent.
