{"id":300541,"date":"2023-11-14T14:29:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T12:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/copper-thief-punished-20231114\/"},"modified":"2023-11-14T14:29:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T12:29:17","slug":"copper-thief-punished-20231114","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/copper-thief-punished-20231114\/","title":{"rendered":"Copper thief punished"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"embed image\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bethulie Regional Court has cracked the whip on a man found guilty of copper theft, sentencing him to 30 years\u2019 direct imprisonment without option. The sentencing of the accused Thabang Andries Mkhaulezi (32) on 27 October was a result of probing by the police in Bethulie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sgt Mahlomola Kareli, spokesperson for the provincial police, said copper cables had been positively identified as the property belonging to Centlec. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cables were stolen from a truck on 20 September last year, during the night. Kareli said Mkhaulezi, also known as Papa, was found guilty on charges of theft and damage to infrastructure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation revealed that the accused had stolen a 5 m-long copper cable from a private residency, and another 5 m-long copper cable from a Centlec truck. Kareli said Mkhaulezi received 15 years each on both counts, thus he will serve 30 years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In May of last year, the same court also imposed a 30-year sentence on three Zimbabweans: Patrick Chirambandare (34), Washington Khoza (32) and Cliff Hove (28). They were found guilty of damaging a cell tower close to the N1 in Springfontein and stealing batteries worth R78 000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hefty sentences followed a request by the state prosecutor, Leon Ehlers, who highlighted the negative impact that damaged infrastructure has on South Africans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bethulie Regional Court has cracked the whip on a man found guilty of copper theft, sentencing him to 30 years\u2019 direct imprisonment without option. 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