| 2024/06/23 |
|
Media Statement
POTCHEFSTROOM – A thorough investigation yielded positive results when the Provincial Anti-Gang Unit arrested Ronnie Pelesane (31) and Modise Pholo (44) on Thursday, 20 June 2024, in Wolmaransstad, for robbery and impersonating a police officer. The accused were arrested following an incident wherein six males stormed a guest house on Tuesday, 14 March 2022. The invaders who introduced themselves as police officers, found a male sleeping with a woman he met and courted earlier during the day. The men who accused the victim of adultery, demanded payment from him in order for him not to be arrested. Subsequently, one of the men, took the victim’s bank card and a cellphone. A sum of R4000-00 was ultimately withdrawn from the victim’s bank account. The victim was further forced to transfer R23 000-00 into an unknown bank account. Following the incident, the accused drove with the victim to Christiana, then back to Wolmaransstad where he was released. The matter was reported to the police and the pair was arrested. They are expected to reappear before the court again on Monday, 24 June 2024, for legal representation. In another separate Anti-Gang success, Lebamang Lepholletsa (45) and Molefi Mokone (47) were on Thursday, 13 June 2024, sentenced by the Bloemhof Regional Court to five years imprisonment for common robbery, theft and impersonating a police officer. While the sentence was wholly suspended for five years, the court ordered the accused to pay R20 000-00 each to the victim before 31 July 2024 or serve two years direct imprisonment. The sentencing follows an incident in which a man from Gauteng Province was robbed in October 2022. It was revealed in court that the victim arranged with a man to assist him get goats with reasonable prices from farmers around Wolmaransstad and surrounding farms. The victim met with the man on Thursday, 06 October 2022, and the latter took him to a house in Bloemhof. They were in the yard when a group of males emerged, then forced the victim into the house. The men introduced themselves as police officers from the Hawks and purportedly placed him under arrest for dealing in diamonds. He was further robbed of his firearm and R37 000-00 cash. Moreover, he was given a bank account to deposit money into. The victim was later given his firearm, but without ammunition. A case docket was opened and allocated to the Provincial Anti-Gang Unit for investigation. Through good investigative work, the pair was identified and later arrested after being identified by the victim. The accused finally pleaded guilty and sentenced. The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena hailed the Provincial Anti-Gang Unit members; Warrant Officer Thabo Rakate and Sergeant Kabelo Kwele for effecting the arrests and securing the sentence respectively, which he said will contribute towards the fight against the so called “knockers” who rob unsuspecting citizens under the pretext of being police officers. He also thanked other role players including the Prosecutor, Advocate Thamsanqa Tamela for collaborating with the police to secure the conviction. Ends
Enquiries:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService |
|
|
