MULTIPLE LIFE SENTENCES FOR GANG MEMBERS WHO TERRORISED THE COMMUNITY
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentencing of Phakathi Patrick Stoffel(30) and Jampo Lucas Khabane(28), by the High Court of South Africa Free State Division. The accused have been sentenced to multiple life sentences after they were convicted after their killing spree in the town of Meqheleng near Ficksburg, in the Eastern Free State. The accused were facing charges of contraventions of Section 9(1)(a) read with Section 10 of the Prevention Organised Crime Act, (Gang-related offences), three counts of murder, attempted murders, illegal possession of firearms, illegal possession of ammunition, as well as intimidation of witnesses.
The state’s case emanates from several incidents between September 2021 and May 2022, when the accused as members of the criminal gang terrorised the communities of Meqheleng, without mercy on their path to fight rival gangs as part of their turf wars. On 11 September 2021, near the town of Ficksburg in Meqheleng, the accused as members of a gang attacked and killed Teboho Petrus Matona. Continuing with their reign of terror on 12 March 2022, the accused attacked and killed Ntiso Pheko at Mike Panelbeaters near Meqheleng. On 12 March 2022, in a tavern in Meqheleng, the accused attached and killed Masilo Richard Moeketsi. The victims were killed for allegedly being members of a rival gang. During their reign of terror, in continuing with their culture of tormenting the communities of this sleepy town, they also tried to kill several other people, who fortunately survived to tell their harrowing stories at the hands of these gang members.
The accused reign of acting with impunity came to an end when they were arrested and charged. Even though there were stabling blocks in the state’s intention to commence with the trial, like the unavailability of the ballistics reports as part of bolstering the state’s case, State Advocate Dansi Mpemvane embarked on the trial in earnest. During the trial, Mpemvane put it to the court that the court should ensure that the accused are sentenced appropriately for their crimes. That the accused had terrorised the communities without fear and respect for the law. That they were a law unto themselves and showed no remorse. The state further argued that a clear message needed to be sent, to organised crime bandits who were operating with impunity that the state was serious about fighting gangs, particularly in areas that had previously been regarded as peaceful, and that the communities should be gang-free areas.
The accused should be sentenced to life imprisonment, as that was the most suitable sentence for their reign of terror that claimed lives and left others in shambles within the community of Meqheleng and Ficksburg. The state also called numerous witnesses including a former member of the gang, who detailed how the gang operated and their ruthless tactics in terrorizing the community. The most detailed harrowing testimony was that of a woman, who testified that on the day she was informed that her brother had been killed on her way to the scene she received another call informing her that her son had also been shot by this gang. In sentencing, the High Court Free State Division sentenced accused one Phakathi Patrick Stoffel to three life terms, five years for Gang-related offences, three years for each count of the three attempted murder charges as well as three years for intimidation of a witness. Accused two Jampo Lucas Khabane, was sentenced to two life terms and five years in respect of the charge of gang-related offences.
The Office of the Director of the Public Prosecution in the Free State, Advocate Navilla Somaru, lauds the sterling work of the prosecution team as well as the police particularly the investigation team in ensuring that this matter is successfully prosecuted.
