A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to an effective five years’ imprisonment after being convicted of tampering with essential infrastructure and possessing suspected stolen property.
The Dzanani Regional Court sentenced Richard Rasikhobi on 24 June to 10 years’ imprisonment, with five years suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence during the suspension period.
According to Limpopo police, the conviction relates to an incident on 20 June 2023, at about 03:40, when Vhulaudzi police responded to an alarm from a network service provider indicating tampering at a telecommunications tower in Phadzima Dzumbathoho Village.
Police found Richard carrying a lithium battery believed to have been removed from the tower and arrested him at the scene.
The investigation was led by Constable Kwinda Ronald of the Vhulaudzi Detective Service.
Richard first appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate’s Court on 21 June 2023 and was remanded in custody before being granted bail of R500 on 28 September that year. However, he failed to return to court as required.
A warrant for his arrest was issued on 14 August 2024. Police later traced and rearrested him, and he remained in custody until the conclusion of his trial.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a strong message that crimes targeting essential infrastructure will not be tolerated. She also commended the investigating officer and prosecution team for securing the conviction.