North West court sentences 87 illegal miners to combined 696 years in jail: A North West court on Thursday sentenced 87 illegal miners arrested in Orkney in 2021 to a combined 696 years in prison.
The 87 were arrested during a multidisciplinary operation led by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit and assisted by the special task force and the district illicit mining task team on October 20. eight of the suspects were wounded and six were shot dead during a shoot-out with police during the operation on October 20.
Illegal mining paraphernalia, gold-bearing material, two mini buses, 11 firearms , about 4000 cartridges of ammunition and bags of food were seized. The Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority in the North West confirmed the accused were in custody since their arrest and pleaded guilty to a robbery with aggravating circumstances charge on March 28.
“They were each sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment”” by the Stilfontein regional court, they said. The provincial heads of both entities welcomed the sentences and “lauded the exceptional work by the multidisciplinary team”.
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