Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the diligence, commitment and professionalism shown by a team of investigators whose quality investigation yielded notable convictions handed down in the Palm Ridge High Court on Friday, 20 September 2019.
A multi-disciplinary team tasked with investigating the murder of the late Constable Mahlatsi who was killed in Elsburg, west of Ekurhuleni in July 2018, arrested three suspects within 24 hours of the fatal shooting of the policeman, and seized firearms including an AK47.
Through forensic testing, the team was able to link the three suspects: Mndeni “Madiba” Lukhele, Dumisani Sphiwe Mlambo, and Banele Njabulo Maphalala to six murders including the murders of a taxi driver and a Community Police Forum member, both killed in Primrose. The trio was also linked to five attempted murders committed at Vosloorus Hostel and intimidation of witnesses in Elsburg.
Lukhele was found guilty on all charges including seven counts of possession of unlicensed firearms and one robbery. The same verdict except for the intimidation charge was handed to Mlambo, while Maphalala was found guilty on only the six murders, five attempted murders and seven possession of unlicensed firearms.
Sentencing will be passed on 30 October 2019 at Palm Ridge High Court; while a separate trial on the murder of Constable Mahlatsi will commence on 07 October 2019.
This, comes shortly after the conviction and sentencing in the Johannesburg High Court, of Deuron Hendricks of Elsiesrivier, Western Cape who was found guilty on gang related crimes committed in Newclare in the Sophiatown policing precinct.
He was sentenced to an effective 51 years imprisonment for various charges including 2 counts of murder and 1 count of attempted murder. Hendrick’s co-accused, Francisco Miller was sentenced to 139 years imprisonment during March 2019 also in the Johannesburg High Court.
In another successful conviction and sentencing on Friday, 20 September 2019, 23 year old Romeo Kongolo of Boksburg was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years by the Boksburg Magistrates Court for two house robbery incidents committed in Boksburg North in April and September 2018 respectively.
“While we are determined to intensify efforts geared at bringing down the volumes of especially serious and violent crimes, successful convictions and long term imprisonment sentences such as these will ensure that those found guilty of such crimes are removed from society and spend the rest of their lives behind bars,” said Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, motivating the teams of investigators to continue the good work in the best interests of our communities.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
