The High Court in Polokwane has sentenced thirteen people who were part of the vigilante group to six and ten years imprisonment respectively for serious and violent crimes.
Members of this vigilante group used to call themselves Boko Haram and have been terrorizing communities at Dan village, Lusaka village outside Tzaneen and the surrounding areas. All the convicts are from Dan village in Ritavi policing area.
They were convicted for Rioters Assemblies Act and murder which they committed in this area.
Sipho Shabangu aged 32 was sentenced to an effective ten years imprisonment without fine for killing Joel Nkgapele aged 27, who was commonly known as “Sakhile” after he hacked him to death with an axe next to the local tavern on 12 February 2017.
The other twelve accused were each sentenced to an effective six years imprisonment without fine for Rioters Assemblies Act and they were identified as follows:
Joseph Regani aged 22, Thembinkosi Rikhotso aged 20, Ralph Mushwana aged 24, Amukelani Ngomane aged 19, George Nkuna aged 33, Shaddy Baloyi aged 26, Nhlamulo Nyathi aged 19, Ben Malesa aged 27, Joseph Nukeri aged 22, Olly Shikati aged 26, Tiyana Xivutiso aged 19 and Dennis Baloyi aged 21
The SAPS Provincial Commissioner in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has warmly welcomed the jail terms imposed on members of this notorious group which will possibly bring a relief to all the affected communities in the area.
The General has also hailed the excellent performance by the Provincial Detectives and the Crime Intelligence.
“We hope that these jail terms will serve as a deterrent to those who are still perpetrating this type of heinous acts”, concluded General Ledwaba.
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