384 years for ‘Boko Haram’ gangsters
The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Tuesday sentenced three members of the “Boko Haram” gang to a combined 384 years’ imprisonment.
Ndou Lukase Rembuluwani and Ndou Ben, both 29, as well as Khoza Ngobeni Small, 28, were sentenced for a series of crimes committed in 2017 around Seshego and Westenburg.
The trio were convicted on 25 cases in connection with charges of murder; attempted murder; possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition; house breaking with intention to rob; robbery with aggravating circumstances; malicious damage to property; theft; and house robbery.
The men were also convicted for contravening immigration laws for being in South Africa illegally.
They were among a group of criminals who were calling themselves “Boko Haram” and were accused of terrorising Seshego and Westenburg communities.
According to the police, some of their victims included the players of Magezi Football Club, who were robbed of their cellphones, soccer kit, shoes and clothes at gunpoint during a robbery in their clubhouse on 18 October 2017.
On 9 October, 2017, they robbed teachers of their laptops, television sets and cellphones at their residential house in Westenburg. During the incident, shots were fired but no one was injured.
The trio was arrested in October 2017 during a police operation in Seshego.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said during the arrests, police recovered some of the stolen properties, including firearms and ammunition.
They were then linked to more cases. “The court ultimately sentenced the three accused to effective 128 years’ imprisonment each and also declared them unfit to possess a firearm,” he said in a statement.
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the sentences.
“We are contented with the long jail sentences... against these heartless thugs who were terrorising communities,” she said.
“The investigating skills of the detective and the team that assisted him are highly appreciated and commendable.”
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