BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
OGIES: The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, based in Middelburg, has on Tuesday 9 February sentenced Teboho Thokoane (38), to five life terms for the horrific crimes he committed in Ogies outside eMalahleni.
During the sentencing, the court heard how Thokoane, notoriously known as “Maphoshane”, was on 12 October 2017, involved in a horrifying shooting spree which occurred in Ogies outside eMalahleni, where five people sadly lost their precious lives. The court heard that on that fateful day, four armed men hired a vehicle, drove from Evander and proceeded to Steyn Farm in Ogies whereupon arrival, they opened fire, instantly killing four farm residents before fleeing the scene.
Other two victims who happened to be at the massacre, were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds also where one, unfortunately succumbed to his injuries meanwhile the other victim fortunately survived. “The matter was then brought to the attention of the police and a case with five counts of murder was opened as well as an additional charge of attempted murder,” said Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, Mpumalanga Provincial Police Spokesperson.
This heartless incident prompted the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, to issue an instruction that a tracing team be assembled to investigate this horrendous act.
“The relentless, sharp as tack members of the team worked tirelessly and followed all possible leads which led to the arrest of Thokoane, where he had sequestered himself at Evander near Secunda.
Unbeknown to him that the dignified men and woman in blue will blow the covers of his villainous activities and bring them to the plain,” explained Hlathi.
Hlathi added that whilst looking for the remaining suspects, the investigation team was notified of a fight that took place in Evander where unfortunately the other three remaining suspects involved in the matter were fatally wounded.
“The remaining suspect, Thokoane, who is a Lesotho National, was trialed and on 15 December 2020, he was found guilty on all the murders as well as attempted murder, one count of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition respectively,” explained Hlathi.
He said the accused was given five life sentences for the five murders he committed and ten years imprisonment for attempted murder.
“He was further sentenced to seven years to languish in prison for the illegal possession of firearm and two years for the ammunition. The attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm as well as ammunition charges, will run concurrently with the five life sentences. The accused was also found to be permanently unfit to possess a firearm,” he said.
Hlathi said the police management believes that the sentence will send a strong warning to criminals that their unlawful actions will eventually land them behind bars for a very long time just like Thokoane.
Leave a comment