The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has welcomed the heavy sentences that were handed down by the Limpopo Division of the High Court in Polokwane on Thursday 6 August 2020, against three armed robbers who were convicted for various crimes that were committed during a foiled cash-in-transit heist in Mokopane on 1 April 2017, in which two robbers were fatally wounded.
On that day, members of the Provincial Tracking Task Team led by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boshomane assisted by Crime Intelligence operatives, positioned themselves strategically after receiving information about five suspects who were intending to rob the G4S security truck after collecting money from the Businesses in Mokopane CBD.
The robbers were then spotted in the vicinity, traveling in the hijacked Ford Wildtrek and suddenly sped off upon realizing they were being followed up. The members gave chase and cornered them between Nelson Mandela and De Klerk streets. A shootout ensued between the robbers and the police, leading to two of the robbers being killed.
The remaining three robbers, Daniel Boitumelo Aphane (34), Sehlabe Louis Nthuthwana (41) and Charles Mogale (51) were immediately arrested. During the arrests, the police recovered one R5 rifle, two pistols and a Ford Ranger Wildtrek that was hijacked in Westenburg policing area on the outskirts of Polokwane in January 2017.
All three robbers were convicted on two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and reckless and negligent driving.
Handing down the sentences, the presiding officer sent all three robbers to two life imprisonments and a combined 42 year imprisonment for other crimes.
The Provincial Commissioner has highly commended this Team for continuing to stamp the authority of the State by regularly securing lengthy sentences in our courts. “The successes of this team will go a long way in ridding this Province of incidents of crime, especially violent crimes,” concluded General Ledwaba.
The members’ relentless pursuit of criminals during their meticulous investigations has made them succeed in securing life sentences not less than twelve times during the previous year (2019), including the first Semester of 2020.
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