In a verdict underscoring the severe impact of infrastructure crime, the Mahwelereng Regional Court has sentenced a foreign national to 15 years imprisonment for damaging and destroying essential telecommunications infrastructure.
The convicted individual, 39-year-old Eric Chirosisimba, was found guilty on Thursday, 23 October 2025, for crimes committed in October 2016. The court proceedings revealed that Chirosisimba broke into multiple telecommunications network service providers’ towers across the Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces, stealing batteries and causing substantial property damage.
The successful conviction was the result of a protracted investigation by the Northern Cape Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit. Forensic evidence gathered from the crime scenes was pivotal in linking Chirosisimba to the offences in both provinces.
After years on the run, the investigation team traced and arrested Chirosisimba in Tembisa, Gauteng Province, in February 2024. The Limpopo case dockets were assigned to Detective Sergeant Orapeleng Mosala of the Northern Cape unit, who led the investigation. Detective Sergeant Mosala successfully opposed bail, ensuring the accused remained in custody throughout the trial.
In her ruling, the presiding magistrate emphasized that tampering and damaging essential infrastructure disadvantageously creates a climate of instability and undermines social and economic development.
Chirosisimba received a 15-year sentence for damaging infrastructure and a concurrent 15-year sentence for destroying infrastructure. Additionally, he was fined R5000.00 or two years imprisonment for contravening the Immigration Act, which will also run concurrently with the main sentence.
This case is not yet concluded for the accused. Chirosisimba still has to appear in court to face separate charges for the telecommunications infrastructure crimes he committed in the Northern Cape.
