The Free State High Court has slapped a woman with ten years’ direct imprisonment for armed business robbery during which a police officer in Wepener was fatally shot. Wendy Susan Jacobs (43) was sentenced yesterday, 3 October, after the court found her guilty of business robbery with aggravating circumstances.
She was among seven suspects, that include six men arrested regarding the two business robberies in Wepener.
Const. Kananelo Mokgothu was killed, and his colleague wounded during a shoot-out with armed suspects on 10 May last year.
Jacobs’ sentencing followed the investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Bloemfontein, in collaboration with the Wepener police.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said Jacobs pleaded guilty to charges instituted. The trial against her two accomplices William Ndalose (38) and Edward Koto (31) is ongoing until 20 October in the High Court.
Singo said the men are charged with murder, attempted murder, and business robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The murder charge relates to Mokgothu’s fatal shooting and attempted murder charge to the officer who was wounded during a shoot out.
“Mokgothu was shot in the neck and the upper body. He was declared deceased on the scene. The police in Wepener were informed of the robbery. They then followed up the suspects and spotted them in one of the streets,” said Singo.
He said the suspects pointed at the supermarket owner with guns after entering the business.
“They took R60 000 cash, beverages, and cigarettes. Afterwards they fled the scene on foot,” said Singo.
