The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Wednesday sentenced a farm murderer to a double life sentence and 48 years imprisonment.
Lazarus Justice Mohapi was convicted for the murder of a Bela-Bela farmer and his employee in 2019.
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The 28-year-old was found guilty of two counts of murder, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm. Unlawful possession of ammunition, and also contravention of the Immigration Act.
During the trial, the court heard how Mohapi on 17 August 2019 attacked Mr Simon Malebane when he entered his farm in Radium. How he also brutally assaulted and killed him. The accused also assaulted and killed an employee on the farm, Daniel Leburu.
FARM MURDERER GETS DOUBLE LIFE SENTENCE
An Intelligence driven operation consisting of the Crime Intelligence and Detectives in Bela-Bela was activated to track down the suspect. He was arrested three days after the incident. The case was assigned to Captain Dana Smith of Bela-Bela Detectives and she diligently worked on the case to ensure that the suspect was also incarcerated for life.
The seven counts sentences were passed as follows:
10 years imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
15 years imprisonment
15 years imprisonment
5 years imprisonment
3 years imprisonment
The court ordered that the sentence in Counts 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, and 07 shall run concurrently with the sentence in Count 02. The effective sentence is also Life Imprisonment.
