LIMPOPO- The Polokwane High Court has on Monday sentenced Thomas Nunu Makanye (33), and Simon Setwanye Monakedi (37), to life imprisonment for killing a police officer in January 2016.
The late Warrant Officer, Joel Seloga (57), who was attached to Groblersdal Cluster detectives was shot and killed near Brits when he was assisting local police in a tracing a suspect which led them to a funeral in Madibung Village.
The suspect was spotted amongst the people attending the funeral and the officers tried to arrest him resulting in a scuffle and the community turned against the officers, the suspect then disarmed and shot Seloga with his service pistol.
The intensive investigation by Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Unit ensued and resulted in the arrest of accused number one (Makanye) at his home in Jane Furse who was found in possession of the service pistol of W/O Seloga. The investigation continued until it led the police to accused number two, (Monakedi) who was also was arrested.
Monakedi was granted R5000 bail during his trial whilst Makanye was denied bail and remanded in custody. Both accused were convicted by Polokwane High Court on 9 October 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, six (6) years imprisonment for theft of firearm, four (4) years imprisonment for possession of unlicensed firearm, one (1) year imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition and six (6) months imprisonment for defeating the ends of justices. All these sentences will run concurrently.
The Acting Provincial Head Brigadier Nare Mabotja commended the investigation team for working tirelessly until the case was finalised. “This will send a strong and vivid message that to kill a cop is like committing serious crime against the state and for that there will be dire consequences”. He said
