NKUZANA – Lawrence Makhubele (25) of Nkuzana village was sentenced to seven years in jail in the Waterval Regional court on Monday, on a charge of housebreaking and theft. The case is related to an incident that took place at Nkuzana village in the Hlanganani area during the night of October 15, this year.

The court heard that the accused proceeded to the complainant's home during the night of the incident. The complainant was at her other house, which is situated in Hlanganani Township when the incident took place. The complainant sent her daughter to fetch something at her Nkuzana house during the night.

On arrival at Nkuzana the complainant's daughter discovered that the front door of the house was opened. After stepping inside the house she also discovered that several items including a wheelbarrow, two plastic chairs and eight pockets of cement were missing.

The girl went back to her mother and informed her of what she saw. The complainant reported the matter to the police the following morning. The accused was arrested several weeks after the incident. The court heard that he was trying to sell some of the stolen goods at the time of his arrest.

All the stolen goods were recovered during his arrest. The case was first heard at the Tiyani magistrate's court before it was referred to the Waterval Regional court for sentencing. The police at Hlanganani have indicated that the breakthrough in the case was the result of the unlimited support they are getting from the local communities.