By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg-The Polokwane Circuit Court of the North Gauteng High Court Pretoria sentenced Thomas Monty Mothwa (49) and his wife Eva Refilwe Mothwa to four life imprisonment for murders and robberies of elderly people around Zeerust and Polokwane in 2007, North West police said.

The third suspect Jan Seshoke Motlhala (49) who later became a state witness was sentenced to five years imprisonment with two years suspended.

“The cases in Zeerust that were investigated by Captain Patrick Murunwa included the 72-year-old Buti Molope of Wilwedagt who was robbed R69 000, 62-year-old Albert Khakhi Motswagae of Debrak village, R75 000 and 77-year-old Abram Mosiane who was murdered and robbed R25 000. All the victims were robbed at Zeerust and their monies were withdrawn the same day or the next day in Pretoria” sergeant Ofentse Mokgadi said.

Mokgadi said the suspects to followed their victims from the banks under the pretext of knowing them and ultimately offer them lifts and later spiked their drinks. Some of the victims woke at the hospital after a day or two not knowing what happened to them but only to remember being offered a drink (Tab or Diet Coke) by one of the suspects. The victims will further realize when they woke up that their identity documents and bank cards were stolen in the process.

“One of the victims Mr Albert Motswagae was thrown out of a moving vehicle but survived and later died as a result of extensive injuries. Mr Abram Mosiane who did not return home that fateful day, his badly decomposed body was found by farm workers at Pienaarsrivier, Kammeldrift, Pretoria four months later” Mokgadi said.

The first suspect to be arrested was Jan Seshoke Motlhala at Attredgeville in September 2007. Then during November 2007, Thomas and Eva Mothwa were arrested around the vicinity of First National Bank (FNB) at Bronkhorstspruit by K9 Unit after Captain Murunwa who was alerted by his informer. At the time of their arrest, the couple was found in possession cooler box with Tab and Diet Coke beverages inside and were taken for forensic investigation. Investigations revealed that those drinks were mixed FLANUTRUZEPUM and that confirmed why the victims went into a deep sleep after being offered a drink.

The couple was found guilty on 54 counts including four murders which they were each sentenced to life imprisonment. Effective sentence for accused number 1 Thomas Monty Mothwa is 57 years imprisonment and his wife; accused number 2 is effective 55 years imprisonment and they are to run concurrently with the four life sentences.

The Rustenburg Cluster Commander General William Mpembe congratulated Captain Patrick Murunwa for a sterling work and thanked the community for helping with information that led to the cracking of the case.-TDN
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