Criminals receive lengthy sentences

Rustenburg – Warrant officer Jannie van der Walt is getting criminals off the street and behind bars. 

HOUSE ROBBERY
On 5 December 2013 between 02:00 and 05:00, the Pretorius couple from Waagfontein smallholding, on the Old Pretoria road, were sleeping when four suspects, aged between 30 and 42 years, broke a window and gained access to their house.  

The suspects were armed with firearms, pangas and knives and started to steal electronic equipment, including a laptop and cash. They fled on foot.  

The suspects were arrested in January 2016 after attacking the Van Heerden family. The suspects were linked with fingerprints. The case against one of the attackers was withdrawn.  
The remaining suspects appeared before the Regional Court in Rustenburg on 10 December 2018 and was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years.  

CAR JACKING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
This case was previously investigated by warrant officer Frans Mathope and later transferred to warrant officer Jannie van der Walt. 

On 5 February 2010 at around 23:00, Thabo Ben Lakalakala was visiting his girlfriend at a tavern in Marikana where she was working as a cashier, when he was assaulted by three suspects and had a firearm pointed at him.
The suspects instructed him to accompany them to his white Volkswagen Passat. They sped off and then kicked him out of the moving vehicle, resulting in serious injuries. 

The suspects Ignatius Thameng, Olebogeng Thameng also known as “Zaheed Khan”, and Johannes Mdluli were arrested on 16 February 2010, 18 of February 2010 and 16 March 2010 respectively. The case against Johannes Mdludi was later dropped. 

Zaheed Khan had numerous previous convictions that include reckless and negligent driving in 1998, culpable homicide in 2002 when he received a suspended sentence of five years, and robbery in 2004 for which he was sentenced to 15 months behind bars. 

He was also found guilty of assault in 2006 and sent to prison for six months, robbery in 2016 and was imprisoned for eight months, rape in 2006 and spent five years in prison, and intimidation in 2009 when he threatened a police official and his family and paid a R300 admission of guilt.

After Thabo Lakalakala’s ordeal, the accused were sentenced to two counts of life imprisonment and five years for the possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. 
Warrant officer Jannie van der Walt from the Rustenburg cluster task team is commended for his excellent services.