| 2025/02/06 |
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Media Statement
POLOKWANE – A 26-year-old Mathews Ballantine Chinyaka charged with murder and contravention of Immigration Act was sentenced to fifteen years direct imprisonment on Monday, 03 February 2025 by the Thabazimbi Regional Court The court heard that during the night of Saturday, 13 May 2023, the victim (deceased) was with his girlfriend at Both’s squatter camp Thabazimbi sleeping in their shack. The ex-boyfriend became jealous of her former girlfriend moving on a relationship with another man. The accused poured flammable liquid at the shack, the deceased heard some movements outside the shack, he went outside to check what was happening. He met the accused who advanced to him having a flammable liquid. The accused suddenly poured the victim with that flammable liquid and set him alight. The girlfriend seeing what was happening managed to escape the fire. Meanwhile, the victim sustained severe burn wounds. He was transported to the local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The matter was reported to Thabazimbi SAPS for further investigations. The accused evaded arrest for sometime. The deceased was later identified as Titus David Shihlangu, 20, a foreign national. After six months in hiding, the suspect was arrested by Hoopdal SAPS for possession of suspected stolen property (copper cable) and through investigations he was linked to murder of Thabazimbi. The accused made several court appearances at Thabazimbi Regional Court with no bail granted until he was found guilty and sentenced on Monday, 03 February 2025. The accused, a foreign national was sentenced to fifteen years direct imprisonment for murder. Count 2: 12 Months imprisonment, contravention of the Immigration Act. The sentence on count two (02), will run concurrently with count one(01) The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the conviction and subsequent sentencing, highlighting the court outcome will serve as a lesson to other would be criminals Ends
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