North West Man to Spend 15 Years in Jail for Attempted Murder and Theft, SA Criticises “Light Sentence”

The Bofokeng Magistrate's Court has ruled that a North West man will spend 15 years in jail for a range of crimes

Mpho Makatise was sentenced for attempted murder, cable theft and trying to evade arrest at Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg

The prosecutor asked the court not to be lenient in sentencing, but South Africans have complained that the sentence is light

NORTH WEST - A 39-year-old man from the North West may spend the next 15 years behind bars after the court sentenced him for a slew of crimes.

While the Bafokeng Magistrate's Court sentenced Mpho Makatise to 10 years for attempted murder, another 10 for theft, and five years for attempting to evade justice, the order for the sentences to run concurrently means Makatise will only serve 15 of the 25-year sentence.

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Soweto man who murdered and dismembered ex-girlfriend handed life sentence, family welcomes hefty jail term

Accused steals copper cables at North West mine, shoots guard 5 times

According to National Prosecuting Authority Spokesperson Henry Mamothame, Makatise's crimes date back to a May 2021 incident at the Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg, TimesLIVE reported.

Makatise and six accomplices were spotted stealing copper cables from the mine by a security guard. The copper thieves shot the guard five times before fleeing to a nearby hostel.

The guard was hospitalised for six months following the shooting but and according to Mamothame, has not fully recovered and continues to get treatment for his wounds.

State prosecutor Zola Mphayipheli called for the court not to be lenient in sentencing because Makatise lacked remorse for his actions, SowetanLIVE reported.

South Africans are not satisfied with the North West man's sentence

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Below are some comments:

Tshepo Makoloi claimed

"Our judiciary system it's been captured by gangsters, now you can bribe judges."

Ernest Olifant complained:

"Range of crimes? Yet he gets 15 years? This shows how weak the justice system is."

Mkhonto Abigail Lucky speculated:

"After 5 years, he will be out."

Richard Blankenberg criticised:

"SOUTH AFRICA criminal justice is a joke."

Eric Bolwang added:

"A light sentence including parol."

Soweto man who murdered and dismembered ex-girlfriend handed life sentence, family welcomes hefty jail term

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the family of Tshepang Pitse finally received justice for their loved one's tragic murder after her killer was slapped with a life sentence

The Plam Ridge Magistrate's Court sentenced murderer Flavio Hlabangwane to 10 years for defeating the ends of justice and 15 years for violating a corpse.

Pitse's uncle, Edward, welcomed the hefty sentence, claiming he's satisfied with the judge's decision, SowetanLIVE reported.

Source: Briefly News