Gang punished for heinous crimes

464-Some of the Golf Stick Gang after they have been sentenced at the Palm Ridge court yesterday. Picture:Dumisani Dube 26.03.2015

464-Some of the Golf Stick Gang after they have been sentenced at the Palm Ridge court yesterday. Picture:Dumisani Dube 26.03.2015

Published Mar 27, 2015

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Johannesburg - A gang that terrorised the Freedom Park community, assaulting residents with golf clubs – robbing and raping women as they lay unconscious – has finally been stopped.

The men, who called themselves the Parliament Gang, were convicted of, among others, rape, murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous harm.

Court 13 in Palm Ridge was packed to capacity on Thursday when Tebogo Manenje, Tshepo Makhele, Tumelo Makgatho, Thabo Padi, Thabiso Motau, Sihle Dayi, Thomas Magezi, Donald Tshiboho, Mongezi Xaba and Petros Mokoena appeared.

The court was filled with Correctional Services and police officers.

Makgatho, Padi and Magezi received 30-year sentences each. Makhele got 25 years, Motau was handed 20 years, Manenje got 15 years and Xaba 18.

Dayi, who was given a five-year sentence, will be eligible for parole after serving 10 months.

Dayi was 15 when he and Manenje, who was 18 at the time, raped a woman who was walking with her husband and robbed them.

Mokoena got a life sentence for raping a 13-year-old girl. In another instance, he and Motau raped another 13-year-old girl twice on separate occasions.

She later fell pregnant.

He also raped two girls aged 14 and 16.

Judge Geraldine Borchers said Mokoena preyed on girls on their way from school. “He would wait for them with a condom, ready to attack. It is unacceptable in society for a young schoolgirl to be scared of walking in broad daylight because of the dangers of being raped,” she said.

Tshiboho received a life sentence for killing 26-year-old Themba Madela. He also raped Madela’s girlfriend.

The judge said Tshiboho was heartless for raping the girlfriend moments after witnessing her boyfriend being beaten to death with a golf club.

Madela’s angry grandmother, who was in court, said she hoped Tshiboho would die in prison.

“He disgusts me,” Julia Msibi, 65, said.

The investigating officer, Captain Selaelo Ramabale, said the case was difficult to crack because some of the victims spent many months in hospital recuperating from their head injuries.

It took time, but he managed to collect enough evidence to see the gang arrested, convicted and sentenced.

“I am happy now. Since 2011, no one has been attacked with a golf club, and crime in Freedom Park has gone down. Schoolgirls used to live in fear but they now go to school freely.”

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The Star

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