POLOKWANE – The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has welcomed the heavy jail sentences that were handed down by the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday, 09 July 2019, against a 51-year-old man, recently convicted of murder, robbery with a weapon other than firearm and house breaking with intent to rob.
The convicted murderer, Justice Mathume Tshehla, was arrested following the brutal killing of an 81-year-old woman on 17 September 2017, at Vergelegen C Section, in the Jane Furse Policing area around Polokwane Cluster.
On this day, Police responded to an incident about an elderly woman who was attacked at her home in the early hours at about 03:33. On arrival, the body of the 81-year-old woman was discovered in a pool of blood, with multiple injuries. The suspect had already fled the scene. The police immediately started with their initial investigations which revealed that the suspect broke into the house of this elderly while she was asleep, hacked her to death with an axe before robbing her a TV set and clothes.
The accused was sentenced as follows:
* Life imprisonment for murder
* Fifteen (15) years for robbery with weapon other than a firearm
*Eight (08) years imprisonment for house breaking with intent to rob
The conviction and sentencing of the accused is consequent to meticulous and sterling investigative work by Detective Warrant Officer Rakgomo Maila of Jane Furse SAPS, who remained committed to this case even though the suspect was unknown.
The Provincial Commissioner has commended the investigating officer, Detective Warrant Officer Rakgomo Maila for his hard work and dedication in collecting all the evidence that positively linked the accused, resulting in these heavy sentences.