Tsununu Ahmad Maphosa (36) was convicted and sentenced for burglary at business premises and theft of motor vehicles by the Musina Regional court on 30 November 2022.
In the early hours of 9 December 2017, the accused together with his co-accused broke into a Ford Vehicle Dealership and stole six Ford vehicles (2x Ford Everest and 4x Ford Rangers) to the value of Three Million Two Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Rand (R3 235 000-00).
The matter was immediately reported to the police and a case was opened and referred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further probe.
An intensive investigation was conducted and it resulted in the recovery of five of the six stolen motor vehicles in Masisi area near the Limpopo River on the very same day they were reported stolen.
The vehicles were intercepted from crossing the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe and all the drivers ran away. Through the assistance of law abiding citizens, Maphosa was arrested in the area while attempting to flee.
The Hawks’ continuous investigation resulted in the arrest of another suspect, Raymond Sibusiso Tshabalala in Gauteng Province. Tshabalala is believed to be a mastermind behind vehicle theft syndicate.
Maphosa was never granted bail until he was convicted and sentenced as follows:
Count 1- Four (4) years imprisonment for housebreaking at business premises.
Count 2- Fifteen years (15) imprisonment for theft of motor vehicles.
Two (2) years in count one (1) are ordered to run concurrently with fifteen years in count two (2).
The accused will serve an effective seventeen (17) years in jail.
The accused was further declared unfit to possess firearm in term of the Firearm Control Act.
The other accused Tshabalala is still at large after he was released on bail and the warrant of arrest was authorised against him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts may contact Captain Makhani on 082 565 7842 or the nearest police station.
