| 2024/07/25 |
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Media Statement EASTERN CAPE – Thamsanqa Cetyiwe (35) was sentenced by East London Regional court on 24 July 2024 for charges of house breaking with intent to steal, theft, damage to essential infrastructure and possession of house breaking implements. Cetyiwe was arrested by East London based Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks jointly with Combined Private Investigating (CPI) Security members on 6 February 2023 and was remanded in custody ever since. On 06 February 2023 at about 14:00, CPI members chased a suspect driving a white VW Polo vehicle with a CA registration number. The suspect who later happened to be Cetyiwe was suspected of having broken into a cellphone tower at Cove Ridge tower. Cetyiwe on realizing that he was being pursued, decided to jump out of the car and ran into the bushes near the airport entrance to evade arrest. The Hawks were summoned and Cetyiwe was caught. Upon searching his vehicle, one lithium battery and house breaking implements were found inside the boot of the vehicle. Cetyiwe was arrested on the spot as he could not give satisfactory reason for possession of the items. It was further found out that the car he was driving was also reported stolen in Cape Town. Cetyiwe was remanded in custody ever since his arrest. After a series of court appearances, he was ultimately convicted and sentenced on 24 July 2024. He was sentenced as follows: Count 1: House breaking with intent to steal, he was sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment Count 2: Theft, he was sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment Count 3: Damage to essential infrastructure, he was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment Count 4: Possession of house breaking implements, he was given three years’ direct imprisonment All the sentences are to run concurrently with the 15 years’ sentence for damage to essential infrastructure. This means that Cetyiwe will spend 15 years’ behind bars. The Provincial Head Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya commended the tremendous success by the team as the sentence would deter commission of such conducts by would-be perpetrators. Ends Enquiries:
Captain Yolisa Mgolodela
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