POLICE OFFICERS WERE SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS DIRECT IMPRISONMENT FOR ROBBERY
The two police officers Lecton Ramasenya (40) and Frans Seema (35) were sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment on one count of robbery. The accused persons were working under the Matlala Police station.
In the first incident, on 20 July 2016 at Boslag-Matlala the accused went on a robbery spree at Matlala village targeting Indian owned shops. Ramasenya and Seema were on duty, wearing police uniforms and also driving police vehicle, they approached a shop owner under the pretence that shop owner was selling dagga. Once they were inside the premises the accused persons ordered the owner of the shop to lie down while they ransacked cigarettes, airtimes and cellphones.
In the second incident, the accused followed the other owner at the warehouse and when they arrive they also took his stock. During the trial, the accused person pleaded not guilty and remain silent.
In aggravation of sentence the state advocate Andisa Mudau submitted that the accused persons were law enforcement officers who were supposed to uphold the law. Instead they broke the very same law, this kind of conduct especially by the law enforcement officers makes the community loose confidence in the justice system. The only suitable sentence would be direct sentence without option of a fine.
The court agreed with the state and sentence both accused to eight years direct imprisonment respectively.
The NPA welcomes the sentence and hopes that this sentence will deter would-be offenders and applauds the good work of warrant officer Leseba Rakapule and Adv. Andisa Mudau.
