POLOKWANE – The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, is elated by the harsh sentences imposed on hard-core criminals in the Province. This follows the sentencing of a man who was terrorizing the off-campus University Students under the Mankweng policing area outside Polokwane.

Calvin Makobe Mamabolo aged 38, was on Wednesday, 12 June 2019, sentenced by the Polokwane High Court as follows:

*Life imprisonment for rape.

*Fifteen (15) years imprisonment for house breaking with intent to steal and house breaking with intent to rob.

*Fifteen (15) years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

*Ten (10) years imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearm, ammunition and possession of suspected stolen properties.

Mamabolo terrorised the students that were residing at the rooms rented outside the University of Limpopo’s Campus between 2014 and 2017.The accused viciously attacked his female victims aged between 20 and 30, when sleeping in their rooms during the early hours. He gained access through the windows and threatened the women with a firearm, assaulted and robbed them valuables such as laptops, cellphones and cash.

One of the students was attacked by the accused inside her room on 02 February 2017 at about 04:30. He pointed her with a firearm and raped her repeatedly. Afterwards, he robbed the traumatised woman two laptops, cellphone and cash amount of money.

The Provincial Investigations Unit led by Captain Madumetja Cuthbert Mogale, took over the investigations of all these cases and started with the intensive probe.

This Unit joined by the Crime Intelligence Unit, followed the suspect’s tracks until he was arrested on the 04 February 2017, at Ga-Motholo village outside Mankweng. During the arrest, some of the victims’ laptops and cellphones were found in his possession. The police also recovered the state firearm that was used during the commission of these crimes.

The investigations further revealed that this firearm was stolen during a house breaking that was committed on the 25 July 2014, at Ga-Mamabolo village outside Mankweng. The accused broke into the house belonging to a police officer while the family was out, damaged the safe and stole a 9mm pistol with 30 rounds.

Source: South African Police Service