The Mozambican convicted of smuggling 14 children into South Africa has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Moises Armando Mate (32) was arrested in Komatipoort on December 6.
He had just driven 14 Mozambican minors, girls aged between four months and 16 years, over the border.
Mate appeared in the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The court sentenced him to six months in prison with an option to pay a R6 000 fine.
The sentence was suspended for three years
Both the sentences were wholly suspended for three years. The condition was that he would not commit a similar offence, assist someone else to enter, remain or depart South Africa illegally for three years.
Mate, driving a minibus with the children, was arrested by members of the Border Management Authority on the N4 highway.
He and the victims were handed over to Komatipoort SAPS, and the case of aiding and abetting was registered. The case was later transferred to the Hawks. The children were handed over to the Department of Social Development for assessment before they were sent back to their country of origin.
Mate pleaded guilty to all charges
Mate made a few court appearances before pleading guilty as charged on Friday, December 27.
Head of Mpumalanga Hawks Major General Nico Gerber welcomed the sentence. “Aiding and abetting people to illegally enter, depart, or remain in the Republic undermines both the country’s laws and the human dignity,” he said.
Traffic police using vehicle identification technology have arrested four people near Muizenberg in Cape Town.
The traffic officers were driving on Main Road with their scanning device in operation on Saturday afternoon when a vehicle drove by.
When the technology alerted, the officers called for backup.
Technology identifies stolen car
After a short pursuit, the vehicle was found parked with four occupants.
The vehicle had been reported stolen in Durbanville on December 16.
A search of the vehicle cabin uncovered three bottles of champagne worth approximately R3 000, a brand new electronic cooler box and a bluetooth speaker.
The occupants were all arrested for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and other suspected stolen property.
Earlier in the day, the same technology had helped authorities bust three people for possession of a stolen vehicle in Philippi East.
All the suspects are expected in court in the coming week.
- Additional reporting by Arrive Alive
