A lengthy jail term was handed to a 29-year-old man who terrorised Mankweng between 2021 and 2022. Picture: SAPS
The Polokwane High Court handed down an 85-year imprisonment sentence to a 29-year-old man who was involved in a series of house robberies and murder incidents that took place in Mankweng in 2021 and 2022.
Stephen Botabota was convicted in connection with five robberies, one housebreaking, and a murder.
In court, Botabota was revealed to have targeted University of Limpopo students in rented residences outside campus. A firearm was used to threaten the victims before their laptops and cellphones were stolen.
The murder charge against Botabota pertains to the attack on a 37-year-old male on April 17, 2021, causing him to collapse after being struck with a stone on his forehead.
The victim was transported to Mankweng Hospital but ultimately died from his injuries.
During his reign of terror, the accused avoided police arrest until his arrest in April this year, and he was never granted bail until Monday, when he was sentenced.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended Sergeant Samuel Malemela for his excellent work in ensuring that this ruthless perpetrator is permanently removed from the community.
IOL
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