Life in prison for three men arrested during foiled robbery in Mokopane

07 August 2020 - 10:17 By ERNEST MABUZA
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Three men have been sentenced to life in jail after being found guilty of murder and other crimes. The men were arrested during a foiled robbery in the Mokopane CBD on April 1 2017.
Three men have been sentenced to life in jail after being found guilty of murder and other crimes. The men were arrested during a foiled robbery in the Mokopane CBD on April 1 2017.
Image: Allan Swart/123RF

The high court in Polokwane on Thursday sentenced three men who were convicted for various crimes committed during a foiled cash-in-transit heist in Mokopane on April 1 2017 to life imprisonment.

Two other robbers were killed during that foiled attack.

Limpopo Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba welcomed the heavy sentences imposed on Daniel Boitumelo Aphane, 34, Sehlabe Louis Nthuthwana, 41, and Charles Mogale, 51.

On the day of the foiled robbery, members of the provincial tracking task team - led by Lt-Col Richard Boshomane and assisted by Crime Intelligence operatives - positioned themselves strategically after receiving information about five suspects who were intending to rob a G4S security truck after collecting money from businesses in the Mokopane CBD.

The robbers were then spotted in the vicinity, travelling in a hijacked Ford bakkie. The men sped off upon realising they were being followed.

The members gave chase and cornered the suspects in the Mokopane CBD. A shoot-out ensued between the robbers and the police, leading to two robbers being killed.

The remaining three robbers were immediately arrested.

During the arrest, the police recovered one R5 rifle, two pistols and the Ford bakkie which had been hijacked 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.

The court sentenced all three men to life imprisonment and a combined 42-year jail term for other crimes.

Ledwaba commended the team which apprehended the robbers, regularly securing lengthy sentences in the courts.

“The successes of this team will go a long way in ridding this province of incidents of crime, especially violent crimes,” Ledwaba said.

TimesLIVE


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