Three criminals were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for separate incidents by the Giyani and Phalaborwa Regional courts respectively, for different charges ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and rape.

The sentenced criminals are Sam Big-Joe Sewelani (20) and Silver Giyani Mkhabela (37), both from Rolle Trust, near Bushbuckridge, and a 39-year-old man who resides at Makumeke Mavambe village, near Malamulele.

In the first incident, Sam Big-Joe Sewelani was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for armed robbery when he and the co-accused attacked security guards and robbed visitors at the Makhalali Game Lodge in October 2005. He was further sentenced to another 14 years for kidnapping visitors at the lodge, bringing the total sentence to 28 years.

The co-accused, Silvester Giyani Mkhabela, was also sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for robbing the visitors.

In another incident, a 39-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for raping his 15-year-old daughter in February at Makumeke Mavambe village.

Meanwhile, the SAPS joint operations in Mopani District have cracked down on dangerous criminals and a total of 155 suspects were arrested. The operations were covering Giyani, Malamulele, Namakgale and Hlanganani for 24 hours where the criminals were arrested for crimes ranging from armed robbery, theft and rape. "The arrested criminals include 53 illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. A number of stolen items were also recovered during the operations, including furniture, firearms and ammunition. The operations will also continue to other policing areas in the Mopani District," said police spokesperson Supt Moatshe Ngoepe.

Ngoepe added that the SAPS in Hlanganani, near Giyani, are looking for family members of an approximately 26-year-old woman and her two-year-old baby whose bodies were found floating in the Middle Letaba River. "The woman was found still carrying the baby on her back, but she was in a decomposing state and as a result, it is very difficult to identify her. We are appealing to members of the community who have missing family members to come and identify the bodies at Hlanganani Police Station. Meanwhile, we are investigating the cause of death and a post mortem will be conducted. At this stage, no one knows what happened and we are appealing to community members who might know something to contact the SAPS crime stop number at 08600 10 111," said Supt Ngoepe.