The Mankweng Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 35-year-old foreign national to an effective twelve years’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The sentencing took place on Friday, 27 February 2026. The accused, identified as Kenias Chimbwanda, was arrested after a vehicle chase that occurred during an anti-smuggling operation in August 2025.
According to court documents, the incident began on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, during a joint operation conducted in the Solomondale area, which falls under the Sebayeng policing precinct in the Capricorn District. The operation was a collaborative effort involving the Limpopo Tracking Team, the Limpopo Provincial Investigations Unit, and external security partners Tshimollo Security and Investigation Shadow Secure.
Authorities acted on intelligence regarding a stolen white Toyota Prado VX, valued at R900,000. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that same day at approximately 09:00 in the Lyttelton policing area in Pretoria, Gauteng. Intelligence suggested the vehicle was being prepared to be smuggled across the border into Zimbabwe.
Operational teams spotted the vehicle traveling on the R71 road toward Mankweng. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, Chimbwanda, allegedly sped off toward Solomondale, prompting a chase.
The pursuit concluded when the Toyota Prado crashed near the Solomondale railway line. During the incident, the stolen vehicle collided with a motor vehicle belonging to a local school principal. The stolen car was eventually intercepted in bushes near the R81 road.
Subsequent investigations confirmed the vehicle had been stolen in Pretoria hours before the chase.
Chimbwanda was found guilty of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and contravening the Immigration Act. He was sentenced to a total of twelve years’ imprisonment.