The Limpopo High Court on Wednesday sentenced a 28-year-old man to two life imprisonment terms plus 48 years for the murder of a Bela-Bela farmer and a worker in 2021.

Lazarus Justice Mohapi was found guilty on two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and contravention of the Immigration Act.

Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said Mohapi was arrested three days after he attacked and killed farmer Simon Malebane and his employee Daniel Leburu on Malebane's farm in Radium, Bela-Bela, on August 17 2019.

“An intelligence-driven operation comprising Bela-Bela crime intelligence and detectives was activated to track down the suspect.

“Mohapi was arrested and the case was assigned to Capt Dana Smith of Bela-Bela detectives [who] diligently worked to ensure the suspect was incarcerated for life.”

The court ordered the sentences run concurrently, with the effective sentence being life imprisonment.

Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe welcomed the sentence, saying it “should send a clear message to other criminals that police will be relentless when pursuing perpetrators of crime and make sure they face the full might of the law”.

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