Johannesburg - Three Free State men have been slapped with life sentences for stabbing a business owner as he slept, then robbed him of money, clothes and tuckshop stock.
Olebogeng Setlhako, 20, Bongane Ndlovu, 21 and Thabang Molosiwa, 24, were sentenced, on Tuesday, at the Thaba Nchu Regional Court for their had in the murder of businessman Molehe Matthews Tsipane, last year.
Brigadier Motantsi Makhele of the Free State Police, said Tsipane was asleep at his house in Ratlou, Selosesha on September 18, 2020, when three men broke into his house.
According to Makhele, the 55-year-old man was alone in the house at the time.
“They stabbed the victim on the chest and robbed him of cash, clothes, shoes and spaza shop stock, such as sweets and cigarettes.
“A constructor who was renovating the victim's house arrived the following morning and found that the house was broken into and alerted the police.
“The victim was declared dead at the scene. The case was assigned to Detective Sergeant Thethejane Legegeru and he tasked reliable informers to help trace the suspects.
“On October 19, police received information and managed to apprehend three suspects around Mokwena section. A murder weapon with blood stains, victim's shoes and hat were found,” Makhele said.
Setlhako, Ndlovu and Molosiwa went on trial and were found guilty of murder, house breaking with intent to rob, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
They were each handed a life sentence for murder and a further 15 years for house breaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
IOL