• Western Cape

Two suspects, including an ex-policeman, appeared in the George Magistrates’ Court for their alleged involvement in a fuel fraud syndicate.

Former Constable Khuezi Gift Tshuka (29) and Zixolisile Skade (25) were arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crimes unit and members of the George SAPS at a petrol station in George on Saturday.

They were allegedly in possession of 15 25-litre containers of fuel and cloned cards with Western Cape government fleet card information on the magnetic strip. They are back in court on Monday, 14 March for bail information.

• Pretoria

On Monday, Pakistani national Muhamed Sajid Khan was convicted in the Pretoria High Court on two counts of murder and attempted murder.

Khan owns nine properties in and around Pretoria. On Tuesday, 1 February 2020, six members of the Concerned Tshwane Residents (CTR) went to one of Khan’s properties, in Luttig Street, Pretoria West. The purpose of the visit was to verify if he was the rightful owner of the property.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said: “Upon arrival, an argument arose between Khan and a member of CTR. Khan took out a gun and then shot the deceased and a bystander, who also died on the scene, and attempted to shoot another member of the CTR.”

One of the witnesses, who is a member of the CTR, testified that after the shooting: “The members of the CTR went to the police station to report the matter. When they arrived they saw Khan and because of fear of what he might do they did not enter the police station and went back to the scene of the shooting.”

When the police came to the scene, members of the CTR reported the matter. Two days after the incident, Khan handed himself over to the police and was released on R10,000 bail.

After Khan’s conviction, State prosecutor Eric Sihlangu applied for Khan’s bail to be revoked and the court granted the application. The matter is set down for sentencing on 31 May.

• Gauteng

A 45-year-old father, whose identity cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the complainant, was sentenced by the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court to 20 years’ imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault of his stepdaughter. He was also sentenced to five years for sexual assault, a sentence that will run concurrently with the rape sentence.

The accused sexually abused the girl from the age of 11, during a period when the complainant’s mother (the accused’s wife) was ill. He would go to the lounge where the stepdaughter was watching television and violate her. The complainant found the courage to tell her mother what was happening.

NPA regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said: “Realising that the cat was out of the bag, the accused fled to the Free State, where he was later apprehended.”

The Victim Impact Statement by the mother of the complaint detailed that her daughter is still traumatised. The mother further stated that she had lost her job as she could not cope at work after hearing about the incident.

Prosecutor Kelebogile Sibi said the accused took advantage of his wife’s illness to prey on an innocent child who looked up to him for love and protection.

“Society is looking up to the courts as the last resort as campaigns by various nongovernment and nonprofit organisations against the scourge of child abuse seem to be falling on deaf ears,” she said. DM