BuaNews (Tshwane)
Walter Ka Nkosi
9 May 2008
Northam — A policeman, who was able to capture two criminals and have them convicted and sentenced within 12 days of their crime, has been given a certificate in recognition of his outstanding work.
Inspector Samuel Serake Temane, 41, who works for the organised crime unit at the Northam police station in Limpopo, was able to link two arrested burglary suspects to a separate robbery case in which a female security guard was raped at a shopping centre in January.
"It's an honour for me to receive such an award. I definitely owe it to all my colleagues that I work with in the station," said Inspector Temane.
The inspector, who has been a policeman for 19 years, received the certificate from Northam station commissioner Superintendent Eric Schmitz recently.
"Hard work has paid dividends for a job well done. I'm proud to say that he strongly deserves it," Superintendent Schmitz said.
Inspector Temane's ensured that Thulane Makhosini, 26, and Themba Matinyane, 25, from Thabazimbi were convicted in the Thabazimbi Regional Court.
Mr Makhosini is serving 10 years for rape and 12 years for armed robbery, while Mr Matinyane is serving 12 years for armed robbery.
The two men had forced one of two security guards at the shopping centre in Northam to break the window of the cell phone shop and then took goods worth thousands of Rands.
Mr Makhosini then raped the female security guard while Mr Matiyane kept watch over the male security guard and threatened to shoot him in the head if he moved.
Both the guards were robbed of their cell phones before the suspects fled.
The guards helped police draw up identikits, which were distributed with an offer of a reward.
A week later, when the men were arrested for a separate burglary in Thabazimbi, the case was handed to Inspector Temane who immediately realised they were the same men involved in the Northam incident.
The two men later confessed under his careful questioning. They were able to give written statements, which allowed the case to be processed swiftly in court
They handed over the two security guards' cell phones and some of the goods that had been stolen from the shop.
On receiving his award, Inspector Temane joked that he won't retire before 99.9 percent of all lawbreakers are behind bars.
He said he would leave the 0.1 percent to be arrested by junior constables who are new in the police force.
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