On 23 September 2012 at about 01:00 the complainant was walking alone in Reitz Street in Kroonstad on his way to the N1, he was going to hike to Limpopo.
Suddenly two African males approached him from behind and started to assault him. They grabbed his bag full of luggage and ran away. The victim received assistance from employees of one of the supermarkets in Kroonstad, who immediately called the police. The police arrived within minutes and questioned the victim.
The victim explained his ordeal to the police and gave the description of the suspects. The police drove together with the victim to go and look for the suspects. The two suspects were seen walking together in town and separated when they saw the police vehicle. The police managed to arrest one suspect who was in possession of the victim’s bag.
The accused, Mr Lucas Motsamai Rantonono, 35 years old, appeared in Kroonstad Magistrate’s court on the 29 July 2013 and was found guilty as charged by Prosecutor Nqwenelwa Mazwi and Regional court Presiding Judge Mr Johan Visagie and was sentenced to 15 years in jail for robbery.
A thorough investigation which led to this conviction was conducted by Detective Warrant Officer Jaco Botha of Kroonstad Detective Service.
“This will send a clear message to criminals that crime does not pay. We will work together with the community in squeezing the space of crime to zero” said the Provincial Commissioner of Free State, Lieutenant General Khehla Sitole.
This statement is compiled by Welkom SAPS Corporate Communication, Free State Province
