STELLALANDER-MAREETSANE: The Mafikeng High Court has sentenced four men for the brutal murder of two South African Police Service (SAPS) officers.
The accused, Benjamin Kerneels Jacobs (45), Gaorekwe Jeremiah Mongale (28), Rapula George Keaikitse (27), and Mathews Modukanele (23), were found guilty on multiple charges, including theft of stock, robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of murder, defeating the ends of justice, malicious damage to property, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The convictions stem from a tragic incident on 26 July 2021, when two SAPS officers from Mareetsane Police Station stopped a vehicle carrying 18 goats. The occupants failed to provide a valid permit for transporting the livestock and were instructed to follow the officers to the police station. On the way, the suspects’ vehicle experienced mechanical issues, prompting them to ask the officers for assistance. As one officer attempted to secure a tow rope, the suspects attacked both officers with hammers, restrained them with a rope, and loaded them into the back of the police van. Later, authorities discovered a burnt police vehicle at Mosita Wildlife Farm near Vryburg, with two bodies inside, burnt beyond recognition. The vehicle was confirmed to be the SAPS vehicle used by the deceased officers.
Following a swift investigation, police arrested three of the accused at a residence in Logageng, where they also recovered a Z88 pistol with nine live rounds hidden under a mattress. A fifth accused, who was 16 years old at the time, turned state witness and provided crucial testimony that assisted the prosecution. As a result, the charges against him were withdrawn. It was later revealed that accused number one was the father of the state witness. In court, all four accused pleaded not guilty but were convicted based on the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution. In aggravation of the sentence, State Advocate Siphiwo Jika submitted Victim Impact statements from the Police and the family members of the deceased, emphasising the devastating impact of the crime. He urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence, as they all showed a lack of remorse throughout the trial. The presiding Judge agreed with the state. She said the community still needs to have confidence in the Police. The sentences are as follows for Benajmin Jacobs, Gaorekwe Mongale and Rapula Keaikitse: five years for stock theft, 15 years for robbery aggravating circumstances, 10 years for each count of kidnapping, life imprisonment for murder, life imprisonment for murder, six years for defeating the ends of justice, 10 years for malicious property damage, 15 years for unlawful possession of firearms and 10 years for possession of ammunition sentences to run concurrently with life imprisonment for murder. Mathews Modukanele was sentenced to five years for stock theft, 15 years for robbery aggravating circumstances, 10 years for each count of kidnapping and four years for malicious property damage. The court ordered that all sentences run concurrently with the 15 years imprisonment for robbery aggravating circumstances. They were all declared unfit to possess a firearm. The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng and the Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi welcomed the sentence and thanked all the role players for their collaborative efforts to ensure that justice is served.
They pointed out that the killing of police officers undermines the authority of the state and that the sentence will convey a strong message that those who kill police officers or any other person who serves to protect society and our citizens deserve a harsh punishment as seen in this case.
