LIMPOPO – “We are delighted that these three criminals are removed from the streets for a long time.” These are the words of Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba when he welcomed the sentences handed down to three men for separate incidents of house robbery, car theft and rape.
The men were sentenced in various courts across the province this week, according to a statement issued Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe.
Jimmy Tau (33) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for house robbery by the Nebo Regional Court in Hlogotlou, outside Groblesdal. His sentence emanated from an incident on 21 January 2018, when he attacked a man at Monsterlus village and robbed him of a vehicle, bank cards, money, a pair of shoes and cellphones before he fled the scene in the victim’s VW sedan. The police were notified and together with a local car tracking company, the suspect was traced to Mamelodi in Gauteng and arrested.
Ngoepe added that the case was assigned to Det Sgt Semakeleng Kanyane of the Hlogotlou Detectives Unit, who investigated the case until the accused was found guilty and subsequently sentenced.
The Burgersfort Regional Court sentenced Titelo Mamarega (24) to two years imprisonment without fine for theft of motor vehicle in January 2020. “The accused stole a vehicle at Ga-Mashishi Village, after the victim’s vehicle got stuck in the mud while he was driving to work.
Ga-Molepo man sentenced for two counts of rape
The accused arrived and offered to assist the victim. He then climbed into the vehicle and started it. The victim with the assistance from other people then pushed it until it was out whereby Tau sped off in the said vehicle.” The police were informed and manhunt was launched for Tau. He was later cornered and arrested along the R37 road near Jackals Old Mine at Tjibeng village.
“The case was assigned to be investigated by Det Sgt Thapedi Lebogo attached to the Saps Burgersfort Vehicle Investigation Unit (VCIU).”
Meanwhile in Thohyandou, Mbangiseni Emmanuel Matoro (23) was sentenced to two life imprisonment terms plus and added 20 years for the rape of two women. Ngoepe said Matoro was found guilty of the rape of a 34-year-old woman at Maniini village in March 2014 and the separate rape of a 21-year-old woman in July 2015.
“He was sentenced to two life imprisonment terms for two counts of rape, five years imprisonment for kidnapping and a further 15 years imprisonment for robbery.”
Ledwaba applauded the investigating officers in all these cases on a job well done and said that the hefty sentences will “undoubtedly serve as a deterrent to other criminals or criminals to be”.