PRETORIA - National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla John Sitole has welcomed the lengthy prison sentence handed down to a murderer and gangster, and at the same time applauded the two Gauteng detectives for the sterling work they did to ensure the successful prosecution of the gangster.
Thirty-three-year-old Faldeen Marks, aka Saampie, a known Cape Town gangster, was sentenced to 275 years imprisonment on multiple charges, including several counts of murder, Sitole's office said in a statement.
Between 2016 and 2017, Marks murdered four people in Westbury in Johannesburg and in September 2017 he murdered a fifth person in Eldorado Park, also in Johannesburg. In October 2017 Marks was arrested with a semi-automatic pistol. After being charged on 23 counts, including the five murders, he was taken through the criminal justice process.
On Friday, the Johannesburg High Court Judge sent Marks to prison for "a very welcome" 275 years, the statement said.
Sitole praised the police and prosecution team, including crime intelligence, forensic experts, detectives, and prosecutors.
"The conviction and sentencing of this ruthless criminal will certainly help our cause a great deal to successfully combat gangsterism and reduce the murder rate in our country.
"This sentencing is indeed encouraging in that it will instill confidence in potential whistle-blowers to come forward as well as serve as a deterrent to future gang-related crimes,” Sitole said.
He appealed to anyone who may have information on crime to please contact the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Stop number 086-00-1011. Callers may remain anonymous and all calls would be treated with strictest confidence.
African News Agency