EASTERN CAPE NEWS - The Eastern Cape Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), headed up by Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, has welcomed the sentencing of Alphios Masangu (38), Lazarus Makhubela (38) and Dion Munyai (37) who were part of a cross-border criminal enterprise that targeted essential national infrastructure.
The accused were convicted and sentenced by the Gqeberha Regional Court last week Wednesday for damage to essential infrastructure, housebreaking and theft.
Each of the accused were sentenced to 15 years direct imprisonment after spending more than six years in jail following their arrest in 2019.
EC Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, says in March and April 2019, a criminal syndicate orchestrated a series of theft and vandalism in multiple provinces, focusing primarily on cell phone towers.
The criminals stole high-capacity communication tower batteries that disrupted critical network operations across the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.
The Gqeberha Organised Crime Investigation Unit of the Hawks managed to trace the syndicate’s movements and on 25 June 2019, the team intercepted the suspects with the assistance of Riversdale SAPS.
A Volkswagen Golf GTI and a Ford Ranger bakkie, identified as vehicles used in the commission of these crimes, were stopped and searched.
The Ranger, later confirmed to be a stolen vehicle, contained 10 stolen cell phone tower batteries valued at approximately R200 000, while tower access keys were found inside the Golf.
Both vehicles were seized and five suspects were arrested on the scene.
The accused made their initial appearance on 27 June 2019 at Riversdale Magistrate’s Court before the matter was transferred to the regional court in Gqeberha.
One of the accused, Emmanuel Thovakhale (42) died in 2019, while another could not be linked to the case.
All three felons received 15 years in jail for damage to essential infrastructure and 5 years each for housebreaking and theft. The sentences will run concurrently.
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