A man who randomly shot at 11 people, killing three, at a tavern in Thabazimbi in 2019 has been sentenced to life in prison.
The Polokwane high court sentenced Maholobela Tanki to three life sentences and 142 years.
Police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba said his accomplices, a woman aged 37 who was a state witness, and another male aged 44 were not found guilty of all the charges.
Mashaba said the court heard that at about 11.20pm on October 12 2019 the accused and his two accomplices went to a tavern in Thabazimbi and demanded money from the teller.
“ Some bystanders tried to intervene. The accused produced a firearm and fired shots randomly at them. Three were shot dead and eight were wounded,” he said.
Mashaba said the suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes.
He said cases of murder and attempted murder were opened and assigned to Sgt Monako Dikobe for investigation.
“A team of police investigators was activated and three suspects were arrested. Police seized one unlicensed firearm and ammunition from the accused. One of the accused was found not guilty, and the other became a state witness,” he said.
The court sentenced Tanki to three life imprisonment sentences for three counts of murder, 120 years for eight counts of attempted murder, 15 years for one count of armed robbery, five years for possession of and unlicensed firearm and two years for possession of unlicensed ammunition.
TimesLIVE
Man who killed 3 people when he randomly opened fire at a tavern is sentenced to life
Image: 123RF/LUKAS GOJDA
A man who randomly shot at 11 people, killing three, at a tavern in Thabazimbi in 2019 has been sentenced to life in prison.
The Polokwane high court sentenced Maholobela Tanki to three life sentences and 142 years.
Police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba said his accomplices, a woman aged 37 who was a state witness, and another male aged 44 were not found guilty of all the charges.
Mashaba said the court heard that at about 11.20pm on October 12 2019 the accused and his two accomplices went to a tavern in Thabazimbi and demanded money from the teller.
“ Some bystanders tried to intervene. The accused produced a firearm and fired shots randomly at them. Three were shot dead and eight were wounded,” he said.
Mashaba said the suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes.
He said cases of murder and attempted murder were opened and assigned to Sgt Monako Dikobe for investigation.
“A team of police investigators was activated and three suspects were arrested. Police seized one unlicensed firearm and ammunition from the accused. One of the accused was found not guilty, and the other became a state witness,” he said.
The court sentenced Tanki to three life imprisonment sentences for three counts of murder, 120 years for eight counts of attempted murder, 15 years for one count of armed robbery, five years for possession of and unlicensed firearm and two years for possession of unlicensed ammunition.
TimesLIVE
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