A 24-year-old man from Matloding Village has been sentenced to prison for a series of violent crimes, including the assault of a 65-year-old man and setting a victim’s home on fire.
Oratile Nkapane appeared in the Mmabatho Regional Court on Wednesday, where he was sentenced on charges of assault, contravening a protection order, and malicious damage to property.
The Sentence
The court sentenced Nkapane to six years in prison for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Four years of that sentence were suspended for five years, meaning he will serve two years behind bars unless he commits a similar crime again.
He received the same sentences for the other charges, which will run concurrently.
The court also declared Nkapane unfit to possess a firearm.
How the Crimes Unfolded
The court heard that Nkapane terrorised his community for months, leaving residents living in fear.
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Assault: On 23 February 2024, Nkapane attacked a 65-year-old man with a steel rod. He found the victim sitting at a neighbour’s home and began insulting him. When the man asked why he was being insulted, Nkapane struck him several times with the rod, leaving him unconscious on the ground.
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Violating a Protection Order: Just two days later, on 25 February 2024, Nkapane went to another person’s home and insulted her. This violated a protection order that specifically barred him from going to her residence or harassing her.
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Arson: After being arrested and released on bail for the first two crimes, Nkapane was arrested again. On 14 March 2024, he went to another victim’s home, insulted him, and set his shack on fire.
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