4 North West Men Slapped With Hefty Jail Sentences for Police Officer Killings
- Four men convicted in the Mafikeng High Court of the July 2021 killings of two North West police officers have been sentenced for the crime
- Benjamin Jacobs, Gaorekwe Mongale, and Rapula Keaikitse received two life terms each for murder and 10 years for each kidnapping count
- Mathews Modukanele was not convicted on the most serious charges and received the harshest sentence of 15 years for aggravated robbery
Source: Original
Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist and the Head of Current Affairs at Briefly News. He reported live from President Cyril Ramaphosa's inauguration and has written articles on politics, crime, courts, accidents, and topics including sports at The Herald and Opera News SA over several years.
MAHIKENG — The four men accused of killing two police officers in the North West have received hefty sentences in the Mafikeng High Court.
After their convictions on Friday, 21 February 2025, the court postponed the matter for a week for sentencing to be passed.
Quartet sentenced for 2021 cop killings
Benjamin Jacobs, Gaorekwe Mongale, Rapula Keaikitse and Mathews Modukanele were found guilty of the lesser charges of stock theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, malicious property damage, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
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The serious charges for which three of the four were convicted were two counts each of kidnapping and murder, in addition to defeating the ends of justice.
The court heard that on Monday, 26 July 2021, officers stopped Jacobs, 45, Keaikitse, 27, Modukanele, 23, and Mongale, 28, while driving along a road.
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. Along the way, the suspects' car broke down, prompting them to ask for the cops' assistance.
As one of the officers tried to attach a tow rope, the suspects attacked them with hammers, killing them before tying them up. They then loaded the bodies into the back of the police van.
Authorities later located a burnt police car in the area of Mosita Wildlife Farm near Vryburg. The two bodies inside were burnt beyond recognition, and investigations determined it was the bakkie the slain officers used.
After their arrests, the men pleaded not guilty.
North West National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Sivenathi Gunya said despite their pleas, the state leaned on the overwhelming evidence to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"In aggravation of the sentence, State Advocate Siphiwo Jika submitted the police's and families' victim impact statements (VIS) to emphasise how devastating the crime was," said Gunya.
"He urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence as the accused had each displayed a lack of remorse throughout the trial. The presiding judge acceded to the state's case, saying the community still needed to have confidence in the police."
Jacobs, Mongale and Keaikitse were sentenced to two life terms for murder, 10 years for each count of kidnapping, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for unlawful firearms possession, 10 years for unlawful possession of ammunition, 10 years for malicious property damage, six years for defeating the ends of justice, and five years for stock theft.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently with the term for murder.
Modukanele, who was not convicted on the most serious charges, received the same sentences for stock theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and kidnapping, in addition to four years for malicious property damage.
The court ordered all his sentences to run concurrently with the 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
"They were all declared unfit to possess a firearm," added Gunya.
The North West Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Rachel Makhari, Acting Provincial Commissioner, Maj-Gen Patrick Asaneng, and Acting Hawks Provincial Head Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi all welcomed the stiff sentences.
They said the killing of police officers undermined the state's authority and that the sentences would send a strong message to would-be offenders.
Hefty imprisonment for Engcobo cop killers
In a related story, Briefly News reported that five Mancoba Seven Angels Ministries members were handed stiff sentences for the 2018 Engcobo police station killings in October 2024.
Andani Monco, Siphosomzi Tshefu, Kwanele Ndlwana, Siphesihle Tatsi and Phumzile Mhlatywa stormed the station and gunned down five officers before robbing it of firearms, ammunition and a police vehicle.
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Source: Briefly News
