4 Men Accused of Murders of 2 North West Police Officers Found Guilty
- Four accused cop killers stood side by side as they came to learn their fates at the Mafikeng High Court
- The quartet were convicted of the murders of two North West police officers, among a slew of charges
- After passing the guilty verdicts, the court postponed the case to 7 March 2025 for a sentencing hearing
Source: Original
Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist at Briefly News. A Head of Current Affairs, Mametela reported live from the presidential inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa and has written articles on politics, crime, courts, accidents and other topics, including sports, at The Herald and Opera News SA, among others.
MAHIKENG — Four police killers learnt their fate in the Mafikeng High Court after being found guilty of the murders of two North West officers.
The quartet were convicted on a litany of charges following the brutal July 2021 killings of the South African Police Service (SAPS) members.
Police killers face music in court
Benjamin Jacobs, Gaorekwe Mongale, Rapula Keaikitse, and Mathews Modukanele, stood side by side in the dock as the judgement was passed on Friday, 21 February 2025.
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In addition to the murders, they faced stock theft, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, defeating the ends of justice, malicious damage to property, and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition charges.
It is alleged that on Monday, 26 July 2021, Jacobs, 45, Keaikitse, 27, Modukanele, 23, and Mongale, 28, were travelling on a road when officers stopped them.
They were transporting 18 goats in their vehicle, for which they were unable to provide a valid livestock transportation permit.
The officers instructed the men to follow them to the Mareetsane police station, situated in Mooifontein, Radithuso, in Mafikeng.
The court heard that the suspects’ car experienced a breakdown along the way, after which they asked the cops for assistance.
Source: Original
"As one of the officers tried to attach a tow rope, the suspects attacked them with hammers before tying them up," said North West National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Sivenathi Gunya.
"Afterwards, they loaded the officers' bodies into the back of the police van. Authorities later located a burnt police car in the area of Mosita Wildlife Farm near Vryburg, with two bodies that were burnt beyond recognition."
Gunya said investigations determined it was the bakkie the slain officers used.
"Further investigations led the police to the accused at a residence in Logageng and recovered a Z88 pistol containing live rounds inside a mattress.
"In court, they pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence, leading to the guilty verdicts."
The case was postponed to 7 March 2025 for sentencing, while the four accused remain in custody.
Constables killed in QwaQwa house robbery
In a related story, Briefly News reported that two police officers were shot and killed in Mangailung village, Namahadi, in QwaQwa in the Free State on Saturday, 4 January 2024.
The constables responded to a house robbery at about 10pm in the remote locale, about 340km from Bloemfontein.
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Source: Briefly News
