The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, welcomed the sentences handed down to Edmore Chirongoma (28) and Moses Phillip Mhlanga/Baloyi (24) on 17 September 2021 by the South Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
The Provincial Commissioner also applauded the investigating officer, Constable Leonard Mapataka of Mooinooi Detectives and all other role players including prosecution for their diligence in ensuring that the accused get maximum sentences, which he said will serve as a warning to those who commit crime including murder that they will do the time in jail.
Their sentences emanated from an incident reported on Tuesday afternoon, 8 January 2019 at a house in Legaloaopeng Section, Bapong in Mooinooi.
Testimony in court indicated that the pair unlawfully entered a house whilst a husband, his wife and child were inside. They threatened the victims with a firearm, assaulted the husband and demanded the vehicle’s car keys.
When the husband could not find the keys, the suspects fired shots and ultimately left the place with the family’s white Mazda Drifter after keys were found inside the bedroom. The victim’s wife was found in the bedroom with a gunshot wound on the stomach after the suspects had left the place.
She was rushed to hospital, but succumbed due to the injuries sustained during the shooting.
