Joel Kabene, 34, and July Sithole, 34, were sentenced on Friday for tampering with or destroying essential infrastructure. The magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently and the offenders be declared unfit to possess a firearm.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the convicts were arrested on December 15 2020, the day after the offence was committed.''The two were arrested by the police the day after the offence on December 15 2020, after they were caught by members of the Combined Private Investigations on the N4 bridge and William Cruywangen Street, cutting copper cables belonging to Telkom valued at R10 000, which affected Internet and data lines,’’ said Mahanjana.
In aggravation, she further told the court that though the value of the copper was R10 000, the offence resulted in the loss of income for businesses. ''The National Prosecuting Authority accepts the sentence and believes that it goes a long way in bringing such economic saboteurs to book. Damage to and tampering with essential infrastructure results in major service delivery interruptions as well as negatively impacting on businesses, communities and the economy.
''It is estimated that cable theft costs the South African economy between R5bn and R7bn a year. For this reason, this crime type is considered a priority by the NPA,’’ said Mahanjana.
If the justice system did the same to everyone who committed crime here in South Africa, then crime would reduce.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Two cable thieves sentenced to 15 years in prisonTwo cable thieves sentenced to 15 years in prison: The Pretoria magistrate’s court has sentenced two Mozambican nationals to 15 years in prison for cable theft.
Source: SABreakingNews - 🏆 41. / 51 Read more »
Source: News24 - 🏆 4. / 80 Read more »
US studying 34-year sentence of activist Salma al-Shehab in Saudi Arabia: state departmentThe United States is studying the case of women's rights activist Salma al-Shehab, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison in Saudi Arabia, the state department said on Wednesday. One of the many countries were women respect their husbands not calling the police for them cause they want to go to Konka.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »
Source: ecr9495 - 🏆 38. / 51 Read more »
Pupils suffer as cable thieves strike at Tshwane schoolPupils at a technical school in Tshwane have not been able to carry on with their studies for almost four months after thieves stole the electric cable and switch, leaving the school without power. Just go to your local scrap metal dealer you will find it there! All scrap yards must be shut down to prevent such
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »
17-year jail term for men who killed 92–year-old relative they accused of witchcraftThe Eastern Cape High Court, sitting in Sterkspruit, has sentenced four men convicted of killing a 92-year-old woman they accused of practising witchcraft to an effective 17 years behind bars. The easiest ppl to cause harm too are the elderly & kids. They can't defend themselves. It's up to us as the community to defend them not cheer 4 low life losers while they killed this elderly women.🙈
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »