ILLEGAL MINERS SENTENCED BY COURT
The Virginia Magistrates’ Court has found two accused, Teboho Lebele(50), a Lesotho national and Mofihli Moqhalamaqhoa(30), guilty on charges of theft to the value of over R88000, and possession of unprocessed precious metals. Lebele was also found guilty of being illegal in the Republic of South Africa. On 27 September 2023, near an old shaft near Merriespruit in the town of Virginia, the accused were found extricating and in possession of gold-bearing material. During the trial court heard that the value of the materials was more than R88000, through an analysis by the analyst called by the prosecution. The District Court Prosecutor Paballo Nkopane, in aggravation of the sentence, argued that the only suitable sentence for the accused was direct imprisonment as they have been found guilty of a very prevalent offence. The mining towns across Lejweleputswa District were experiencing an influx of illegal immigrants and Zama-zamas who continue to commit these serious offences. These offences had dire economic repercussions, costing millions of rands to the economy, had the accused persons not been arrested they would have enriched themselves illegally.
In sentencing, the court concurred with the state that indeed this is a serious offence and both accused were sentenced, on count 1 of theft of gold to 24 months direct imprisonment, count 2 of possession of unwrought precious metals to 12 Months direct imprisonment and accused number 1 was also sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for Contravention of the Immigration Act. The gold-bearing material was forfeited to the state. The town of Virginia is experiencing a surge of infestation of crimes emanating from the illicit mining, mostly by foreign Nationals. The National Prosecuting Authority would like to applaud the prosecution team as well as the “Knock out operation” within the SAPS aimed at eradicating illegal mining within the Lejweleputswa District.
