KwazuluNatal – Pongola Regional Court convicted and sentenced five accused to four life terms and a total of 225 years imprisonment for crimes they committed at the local farms in March 2015. From December 2014 to March 2015, a group of armed males would enter the farms in Pongola and Magudu policing precincts, rob the owners of their valuables including firearms and rape the females. Cases were opened at Pongola and Magudu police stations. A Task Team was established to investigate the cases which led to the successful arrest and prosecution of the accused.
During the investigation, the investigating team received an intelligence about the same group who were planning to attack another farm and they proceeded to the place where they found them hiding in the bushes. Other criminals fled the scene whereas two of them including a female were apprehended with rifles in their possession. All the accused were arrested, Wandile Gabriel Dlamini (25) was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, 70 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, Mlungisi Thabathu Mathenjwa (21) and Phumlani Sotsha Mdluli (28) were each sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, 45 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. Ntokozo Prince Mthethwa (23) sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, 30 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and 15 years for possession of firearm and ammunition. The fifth accused, Khethiwe Gugu Gumbi (34) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for illegal possession of a rifle.
“We are thrilled that these criminals were handed befitting sentences for their horrendous acts. The investigation by the Task Team which led to the successful apprehension of the accused is commended,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa.
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