LOWVELD – Several criminal cases were finalised in the Tzaneen magistrate court last Friday. Thomas Ngobeni (31) of Nkowankowa Township was sentenced to a one year term of imprisonment for escaping from custody.

Ngobeni was arrested for several cases ranging from housebreaking to theft at his Nkowankowa home on the 15th of last month. He escaped from the Tzaneen police station during the night of the 29th of the same month.

He was not given the option to pay a fine. In the same court Mr Daniel Malatjie of Tzaneen was sentenced to two years or to pay a fine of R8 000 for theft and receiving stolen goods.

A resident of Lenyenye Township, Thapelo Benneth Malatjie (19) was sentenced to five years in prison for theft from motor vehicles. The incident relating to the case took place at in Tzaneen during the night of 17 January this year.

Another resident of Nkowankowa Township, Marobela Lyborn Matome (28) was sentenced to three years in prison for two charges of theft from motor vehicles.

He committed the crimes on 29 September last year and 13 January this year in Tzaneen. A 31-year-old man, Peter Matome of Tzaneen, was also sentenced to five years in prison for the same offence. He committed the offence during the night of 17 January this year at Lenyenye Township.

The SAPS in the area has issued a statement praising the justice system for what they described as a job well done. In the statement they indicate that the sentences will serve as a deterrent to criminals-to-be.