The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Director for Public Prosecution, Advocate (Dr) Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, welcome the conviction and subsequent sentencing of a former police Captain to 15 years imprisonment by the Bafokeng Regional Court in Tlhabane on Tuesday, 18 April 2023.
A former Captain, Steve “Chippa” Molatedi was found guilty in September 2022, for robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping.
The convict’s sentencing emanated from an incident in which he and his accomplice robbed a foreign national owned business on Monday, 12 March 2018. Evidence indicated that the convict held a shop owner at gunpoint and robbed him of cash and other valuables.
The incident took place near a well-known hotel between Phokeng and Ledig village outside Rustenburg where the victim was locked and left in a chalet.
Molatedi, then aged 56, was arrested seventeen days later. He has been in custody since his detention after all his bail attempts were denied, while his accomplice was found not guilty and discharged.
The convict was sentenced as follows:
Count 1: Robbery Aggravating – 12 years direct imprisonment
Count 2: Kidnapping – Not guilty
Count 3: Robbery Aggravating – Not guilty
Count 4: Kidnapping – three years imprisonment which will run concurrently with the sentence on count 1.
The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000).
On welcoming the sentence, the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena said that criminality will not be tolerated within the ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS). He thanked the Investigating Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Murunwa and the Prosecutor, Mr Zola Mpayipheli and other role players for securing the sentence which he said will send a clear message that crime does not pay.
Meanwhile, the Director for Public Prosecution, Advocate (Dr) Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, said that the sentence clearly indicates that collaborations of entities in line with the resolution of the conference held in August last year, are bearing fruits and that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that offenders are convicted.
The post Police Captain sentenced for aggravated robbery and kidnapping appeared first on South Africa Today.