Robbers-collectors, guilty of murdering a security guard, sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Six robbers-collectors, guilty of killing a security officer, will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
- The gang initially ran from the police, who eventually caught up with them and arrested all six.
- They were sentenced on Monday in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting in Scottburgh.
A crew of six van robbers who shot and killed a security guard during a heist in August 2019 have all been jailed for life for the crime.
The KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting in Scottburgh sentenced Thulani Kwela, 33; Mpumelela Ntshangase, 47; Bongani Madlala, 50; Zenzele Gumede, 40; Bheki Ndlovu, 45; and Zwanani Chele, 34, on Monday.
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The men were jailed for life for murder, 15 years for attempted robbery, five years for three counts of attempted murder, 15 years for three counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm and three years for possession of unlicensed ammunition.
The sentences will run concurrently.
Summing up the crime, Hawks spokesman Captain Simphiwe Mlonga said on Tuesday that the security guards were delivering cash to a pension payment point in Hibberden when they were approached by six robbers on August 1, 2019.
Mlongo added:
The accused shot at the guard, as a result of which he died on the spot. The driver of the cash van drove off towards the N2 and the accused gave chase, shooting at the cash van.
They rammed the cash van until it lost control, but were unable to take the money and left the scene empty-handed, Mlonga added.
Cases of murder, attempted murder and attempted theft of cash were reported to Southport police station and a case list was handed over to Hawks members from Port Shepstone’s Serious Organized Crime Investigation Unit.
The hawks followed the information and found the accused’s car in the sugarcane fields.
“Police were looking for information until they cornered the accused in KwaMadlala area and arrested the six,” Mlonga said.
During the arrest, police recovered one AK-47 assault rifle with fifteen rounds, an R4 rifle with seventeen rounds, and one 9mm pistol with twelve rounds.
