ACCUSED SENTENCED FOR UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CHROME
LIMPOPO – Phineas Sositeni (40) was convicted and sentenced to pay ten thousand rand (R10 000) fine or ten months imprisonment for unlawful possession of chrome by the Burgersfort Regional Court on 23 May 2024.
In May 2023, Polokwane based Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Limpopo Illegal Mining Task Team conducted a disruptive operation at Steelpoort outside Burgersfort.
During the operation the team spotted a Dipper truck full of chrome on the road. The stopped it and asked the driver to produce a permit to possess a chrome.
He was immediately put under arrest after failing to produce a permit. The truck and chrome were confiscated.
Sesiteni was taken to court where he was released on bail of R1000 and provided with the date of the next court hearing. The accused did never come to court again. As a result the court of law authorised a warrant to rearrest him.
He was rearrested at Beitbridge Port of Entry on 30 April 2024.
His bail was forfeited to the state and he was kept in police custody until he pleaded guilty, convicted and sentenced accordingly.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Limpopo Province Major General Gopz Govender welcomed the sentence.
He further confirmed that the disruptive operations are still ongoing to dismantle all illegal mining networks in the Limpopo Province.
