During a week-long trial set for Ramolete Masiu (31), who are linked to Tshabalala’s murder, it was revealed that two men who were only mentioned as Lereng and Rapera were still at large and evading arrest. This after it was uncovered during the investigations that the two played various roles in the brutal murder of the deceased at Phelindaba in Mangaung on 24 May 2018.

During the court proceedings, the first man who was named Lereng was identified as the shooter and is said to be crisscrossing between the Free State and Mpumalanga. Another man, who was also named in court as Rapera, allegedly was the driver of the Toyota Tazz used as a getaway car. He is apparently in Lesotho in an unknown location. 

So far two men, including Sprinkaan Maema and Masiu, have been slapped with a life-term jail sentence after being found guilty on charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Bloemfontein High Court.

Maema was the first man to be convicted on these charges in 2019 and he is now serving a 33-year jail sentence. Maema was caught by the police while in search for the robbed state’s vehicle which was found abandoned, but still idling, next to the road close to the Jimmy Roos School near Dewetsdorp. The police are said to have met and stopped Maema in his tracks. His trousers were torn at the time and the police asked him why he was on the street alone during the night. According to the state’s submissions in court, "he explained that he was travelling in this vehicle, one occupant tried to rob him and then he jumped from the moving vehicle in an effort to escape the robbery. The police also found a cell phone on Maema".

Meanwhile, Masiu was found guilty and sentenced after spending a year and three months in jail after he was arrested on 14 August 2019. He was arrested after police investigations revealed that Masiu’s blood was found at four places, including the house in Phelindaba, a wheelchair at National Hospital and two vehicles, including the state's vehicle and the Toyota Tazz used as a getaway car.

The accused was further slapped with a 15-year jail sentence for robbery and this sentence will run concurrently with that of the murder.

Judge, Joseph Mhlambi, found Masiu guilty of murder and robbery. He said Masiu did not show any remorse for the brutal murder of Tshabalala and further labelled his testimony in court as not trustworthy and honest following multiple contradictory statements.

Judge Mhlambi said the testimony that the suspect was not aware of the planned murder of Tshabalala was not true because Ramasiu failed to disassociate him with the other accused before and after the commission of the crime.

He said this was clear to the court as Masiu had earlier said he had no intentions of spilling the beans to the police unless he was asked about the matter.

OFM News