Immanuel Charles Maboko, from Burgersfort in Limpopo, has been convicted in the High Court in Polokwane on three counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said during the trial, witnesses testified that in April 2022, Maboko, 34, entered a BMW dealership in Nirvana, Polokwane, under the guise of wanting to purchase a car.
“He then brandished a firearm, demanding the car keys to a BMW X6M from the sales manager. During the altercation, Muofhe Luvhimbi, 56, an educator from George Mbulaheni Secondary School in Tshikuwi village, Vhembe district, who had brought his vehicle for servicing, was fatally shot twice — once in the head and once in the abdomen — and died at the scene,” said Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi, NPA regional spokesperson in Limpopo.
Maboko was given the car keys and fled the dealership in the BMW X6M.
Police were immediately alerted and Maboko was arrested near Silicon, next to the Peter Mokaba Stadium, after he was found in the stolen vehicle.
Two firearms were also recovered from the car.
“Maboko was further linked to the murder of Malatji Putana Lucas, whom he shot and killed on April 1, 2022. On that morning, Maboko arrived at Lucas’ home in Mabocha village around 6am, parked his white Volkswagen Polo at the gate, and called for Lucas to come out. Lucas, who had been preparing to go to work, was met at the gate by Maboko, who then shot him multiple times, killing him instantly,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
At the time of the murder, Lucas had been employed by Maboko for construction work.
“Additionally, Maboko was implicated in the murder of Professor Mohamed Saber Tayob, who was shot dead while jogging with others on Munnik Street in Sterkpark, Polokwane. A witness testified that a man driving a white vehicle exited his car and shot Professor Tayob several times before fleeing the scene,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
Maboko, who elected to represent himself, chose to remain silent throughout the trial.
The matter has been remanded to October 25 for sentencing, and Maboko will remain in custody.
In June 2022, IOL reported that police in Limpopo had announced a breakthrough in the gruesome murder of the 51-year-old university lecturer, Tayob, who was shot while jogging along Munnik Road next to the affluent Sterpark suburb in Polokwane in March 2022.
Tayob, a lecturer at the University of Limpopo, who was also a chartered accountant, was shot by occupants of a white VW Polo vehicle, which drove off thereafter.
IOL