Evander Regional Court recently handed down hefty sentences to two convicts, Felisberto Joad Mohache and Tahir Mhenambe, for their involvement in multiple offences.
The Mozambican nationals were linked to multiple charges namely three counts of murder, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of robberies with aggravated circumstances and three counts of defeating the ends of justice.
Sentakona Ziyane left his house in Evander on May 21, 2018, with his vehicle to go to Newcastle.
According to police, his family never heard from him again until his body was found dumped on the R50 Road between Standerton and Leslie, the following day. His vehicle and valuables were nowhere to be found.
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According to the report, he was strangled and stabbed to death. In a separate incident, Bukwana Wilson Buthelezi of Ext Six, Standerton, went missing without a trace on June 11, 2018.
His decomposed body was found dumped next to the road between Amersfoort and Perdekop on July 12, 2018. His vehicle went missing.
In the third incident, Bongani Mbatha of Sakhile, went missing on July 8, 2018. His body was found with multiple stab wounds next to the road between Standerton and Perdekop. His vehicle was also missing.
The provincial commissioner of police decided to set up a task team assigned to crack down on these deaths.
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According to police, four suspects were arrested within a short space of time and all three vehicles were recovered in Piet Retief and Daggakraal respectively.
Two of the four suspects died while in custody, and the remaining two were sentenced to three life terms for three counts of murder each, 45 years direct imprisonment for three counts of aggravated robbery each, 15 years direct imprisonment for three counts of kidnapping each and six years direct imprisonment for three counts of defeating the ends of justice each.
The provincial commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, praised the results produced by the task team.
The general also expressed her appreciation to both the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and the Department of Justice for handing down these sentences.
