MOKOPANE – Three men who were part of a crime syndicate linked to business robberies committed around Mookgophong and Modimolle, received hefty sentences by the Regional Court in Mokopane yesterday.
Kagiso Brian Difeto (32), Ralph Mashilo (33) and Josia Boshielo (40) were found guilty on charges of business robbery, possession of unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of jamming device inside a vehicle and receiving a stolen vehicle in 2016.
Police Spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said in a statement that the trio targeted cellphone stores and attacked staff members in the mornings when they opened the stores.
“They would then order them to load cellphone gadgets into large bags before they drive off. These cellphones were sold at various places in Limpopo and Gauteng,” the statement reads.
The men’s robbery spree ended in August 2016 when two of the accused were arrested after information was received about the vehicle used in the commission of the crime, soon after they committed a business robbery in Mookgophong. Another man was arrested through an intelligence driven operation.
Det WO Ross Rossouw of Modimolle SAPS was assigned to the case and the suspects were convicted and ultimately sentenced thanks to his work.
Difeto was sentenced to 10 years for each of the three counts of business robbery. The sentences will run concurrent.
Mashilo and Botshielo were each sentenced six years’ imprisonment for receiving a stolen vehicle (count 1), eight years’ imprisonment on each of the three counts of possession of an unlicenced firearm (count 2), four years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition (count 3) and one year imprisonment for unlawful possession of a jamming device inside a vehicle (count 4).
Both of them will serve 14 years direct imprisonment as count 2, 3 and 4 will run concurrently.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo SAPS Commissioner, Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba praised the members for their dedication and commitment in the investigations.
