The Sasolburg Magistrates’ Court has slapped an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe, found guilty of stealing copper cable from Transnet’s infrastructure, with a punishment of either serving a prison sentence or paying a fine.
On Monday,6 May, the court sentenced John Temoso Noko (46) to either pay a fine of R8 000 or face eight years in prison.
The accused’s sentencing was a result of investigations by both the Welkom Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team and Viljoensdrift police members who arrested Noko together with co-accused Nkosinathi Welcome Mahlaba (35).
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Noko was found guilty on charges of theft of copper cable from Transnet infrastructure and being illegally in South Africa.
“The court suspended four years of the eight-year imprisonment sentence for five years. Noko was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on the condition that he is not convicted of being an illegal immigrant in the country. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said Singo. He said copper cables discovered by the police was worth an estimated R120 000.
Singo said Noko was arrested together with Mahlaba, from Malawi, on 12 January 2022 in Viljoensdrift after the police discovered copper cables in the Isuzu bakkie the pair were travelling in. He said the cables were discovered during a routine stop-and-search procedure.
Singo said the Hawks were on the haunt for Mahlaba who failed to appear before the court during the sentencing.
“A warrant of arrest was obtained for his evading of a court appearance,” said Singo.
