ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.

NOTHERN CAPE: A retired senior cop, Major-General Advocate Thuto Gaogakwe Phefo (62) has been found guilty and will be sentenced. by the Kimberly Regional Court of contravention the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act. According to the Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, the complainant and a former employee of the SAPS, had applied for a brigadier post and was shortlisted in 2017. During the assessment, the complainant was approached by the accused, who gave her a document containing what he said would be expected in the interviews. The complainant said that upon opening the document, she realised that it was a case study. She further indicated that the accused solicited R70 000 for the document. The complainant allegedly paid the accused R48 000 and reported the matter to the SAPS. The accused was trapped and arrested. The accused was released on R4 000 bail and has appeared 48 times in court until his conviction. However, the complainant was dismissed from the South African Police Service in March 2020.

KWAZULU-NATAL: A Verulam woman (42) and her 55-year-old lover have been arrested after faking a hijacking and kidnapping story so that they could spend time together. The police said the concerned husband contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) after getting a voice note from his wife, claiming she was being hijacked on a back road in the Riet River. The police were then contacted,and a search operation ensued last Thursday. Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said the husband received two location pins from the woman's phone before communication was completely cut. Seeking help, the husband circulated the wife's voice notes on social media, and that's when reports that the woman faked her disappearance to be with a lover surfaced. Netshiunda said their intelligence revealed that the woman was at a casino before disappearing and was later spotted at an overnight accommodation in Newcastle on Saturday. She later went to the police after disposing of her car and claimed that her kidnappers had dropped her off on the side of the road. The lovers were charged with defeating the ends of justice and are expected to appear in the Verulam Magistrate's Court today. 

GAUTENG: The Tsakane Regional Court sentenced Vusi Elias Khoza (35) to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl in October 2015. The court also ordered that his name should be added to the national register for sexual offenders. NPA said on 21 October 2015, the child was playing soccer with her friends in an open veld in Langaville when Khoza accused them of stealing his soccer poles and chased them away. While running, the victim fell, and Khoza grabbed her and sat on her legs. Out of fear, the child apologised for the stolen poles; however, Khoza did not let go. He dragged her to the bush next to the veld and raped her. He threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone about the rape. The NPA said when the child got home and could not walk properly, the mother enquired and the child told her what had happened. The mother reported the matter to the police, and the man was arrested three days after the incident. In court, Khoza pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied raping the child; however, the state called witnesses and provided evidence that proved that indeed Khoza raped the child. State prosecutor, Thulwana Khakhathiba, asked the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence as Khoza did not take responsibility for his actions and showed no remorse.

MPUMALANGA: A man who was arrested in Pretoria after allegedly hijacking and killing a woman from Mpumalanga and driving with her dead body in the car appeared briefly in court. Cuan Karelse (21) is facing a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition, as well as a charge of murder for killing a 57-year-old woman, Renee Lea from Standerton. Karelse allegedly went into Lea's house as she was driving out on Saturday and tied her up, robbed her of her belongings, killed her, wrapped her with a carpet and put her in the boot of her car. He was arrested in Pretoria after the car was located by a tracking company at a petrol station in Pretoria. The accused briefly appeared in court and has been remanded in custody until 2 September for bail application.