PARKTOWN - Addressing the proliferation of serious and violent crime, especially crime against women, children and vulnerable persons, remains a top priority for the South African Police Service (SAPS).
It is on this basis that Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela lauded detectives across the province for collectively securing 36 life terms imprisonment with over 1300 more years in prison for 67 accused in 178 separate cases that include, among others, murder; rape; sexual assault; kidnapping; and aggravated robbery.
On Friday, 12 August 2022 the Johannesburg High Court sentenced 37-year-old Asha Moyo to 21 life terms imprisonment and an additional 206 years' imprisonment and 33-year-old Dube Lewis to 12 life terms imprisonment and an additional 156 years' imprisonment. The duo, both Zimbabwean nationals, were found guilty on a collective 95 charges that include rape; kidnapping; assault with the intend to cause grievous bodily harm; assault common; unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition; and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Moyo and Dube's series of crime span from 2015 and ended in 2019 when one of their victims identified them walking near her workplace in Diepsloot and alerted the police; this resulted in their arrest.
The case was assigned to Gauteng Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI), a specialised team within the provincial Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit. Warrant Officer Legwabe and Sergeant Ramathavhana meticulously pieced all the evidence together which resulted in a solid case against the accused in court.
In another case, on Monday, 11 August 2022 the Johannesburg High Court sentenced 39-year-old Thamsanqa Maxwell Xaba to three life terms imprisonment for three counts of murder following a taxi violence related incident that took place a year ago in Katlehong North. The case was assigned to Sergeant Justice Madimetja Matlala of the Taxi Violence Investigation unit for further investigation.
Furthermore, earlier today, 12 August 2022 the Palm Ridge Court found 31-year-old Pontso Mohlanka guilty after she murdered three minors in Orange Farms during 2020. The case was assigned to the provincial Harmful Occult Related Investigation unit whereby Lieutenant Colonel Kgabo Mohlamme took the lead in the investigation. The case has been remanded to 13 September 2022 for sentencing.
"The sentences that have been handed down during the past few weeks are the result of quality investigations led by our detectives in the province. These sentences are befitting amidst the annual commemoration of Women's Month, which is an indicator that our members are remaining resolute in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide ," said Lt Gen Mawela.