Prince Sebopha Kholophe (25) was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for attempting to kill police inspector Thivhulawi Tshilate of the Vhembe police in December 2004. The case was finalized in the Thohoyandou Regional Court last Thursday.

He faced an attempted murder charge, as well as one of armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The court heard that Tshilate met with Kholophe in Shayandima when he was on the way to see his brother. He received a telephone call, and when he was still answering it, Kholophe pointed a fire-arm in his direction. He was ordered to a nearby football ground, where he fired three shots, two of which hit Insp Tshilate in his left buttock and left thigh respectively. The incident took place at about 20:25 and Tshilate sustained a fracture in his leg and Kholophe also robbed him of his cellular phone and Z88 9mm parabellum.

Kholophe was arrested through the assistance of members of the community the following morning. The robbed cellphone and firearm were found in the headboard drawer of Kholophe’s room, together with the other firearm used to rob the police inspector.

It was later determined that the firearm had been stolen at Soshanguve in North West Province and the suspect was linked to an armed robbery and murder case there.

For the attempted murder he was sentenced to five years; for armed robbery he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment without an option of fine; for the possession of an unlicensed fire arm he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and for the possession of ammunition he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. The sentences of the possession of an unlicensed fire arm and the possession of ammunition will run concurrently.