Police in Limpopo have welcomed the sentencing of two men who were arrested and linked to a gruesome farm attack incident which happened in August 2020 under the Mogwadi policing precinct.
During the violent attack, Aaron Mabena and Nicolus Tlou were part of the four assailants who robbed the 80-year-old farm owner, severely assaulted him before his wife was repeatedly raped by the intruders.
The duo, was sentenced by the High Court in Polokwane on Thursday.
“The court heard that four male suspects stormed Draaifontein Farm and found an elderly couple inside the house,” Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba narrated.
“They assaulted an 80-year-old farm owner until he became unconscious and later two suspects raped the farmer’s 65-year-old wife.”
After the ordeal, the assailants took one hunting rifle and a pistol from the farm before fleeing the scene with the farmer’s Nissan Navara bakkie.
“Police were alerted about the incident and immediately commenced with a manhunt for the suspects until the suspects were spotted driving along the Westenburg Traffic Circle outside Polokwane,” said Ledwaba.
“Police attempted to stop the motor vehicle but the suspects started firing shots and the police retaliated resulting in one suspect being fatally wounded and his accomplice was apprehended after the shootout.”
Detectives, Captain Koena Manamela and Sergeant Charles Lamola, attached to Mogwadi SA Police Service were assigned to investigate the case.
After arresting the three, the detectives working with the prosecution, managed to ensure that the three were not granted bail until their sentencing.
One of the accused men, 22-year-old Mabena was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for house robbery, attempted murder and theft of firearms.
His accomplice, Nicolus Tlou, 33, was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, house robbery, attempted murder and theft of firearms.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that the deceased suspect had committed rape on the farm owner's wife, together with Tlou.
Ledwaba said the third accused man, Christopher Mokgomutsi, 34, was scheduled to be sentenced next week, on Thursday, by the High Court in Polokwane.
Mokgomutsi is facing charges of house robbery, attempted murder and theft of firearms offences.
IOL