Durban — Six armed robbers were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, attempted cash-in-transit heist, attempted murder and possession of unlicensed firearms as well as ammunition.
The robbers were sentenced on Monday by the Scottburgh High Court.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said that their sentencing is in relation to an incident on August 1, 2019, where security guards were delivering cash to the pension pay point in Hibberdene when they were accosted by the accused.
The accused fired shots towards the security guard, and he died at the scene. The driver of the cash van sped off towards the N2, and the accused gave chase whilst shooting at the cash van. They rammed the cash van until it lost control, the accused failed to get cash, and they fled the scene empty-handed.
He said that a case of murder, attempted murder and attempted cash in transit heist was reported at Southport police station, and the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members from Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime Investigation.
Mhlongo said that members followed up on information and recovered the accused’s getaway vehicle in the sugar cane fields. Police pursued information until they cornered the accused in the KwaMadlala area.
“The six accused, Thulani Cwele, 33, Mpumelelo Ntshangase, 47, Bongani Madlala, 50, Zenzele Gumede, 40, Bheki Ndlovu, 45 and Zwanani Cele, 34, were arrested. During the arrest, police found one AK-47 with fifteen live rounds of ammunition, one R4 rifle with seventeen live rounds of ammunition and one 9mm pistol with twelve live rounds of ammunition,” Mhlongo said.
“Their bail application was successfully opposed until they were found guilty. Each accused was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years imprisonment for attempted robbery, five years imprisonment for three counts of attempted murder, 15 years imprisonment for three counts of possession of unlicensed firearms and three years imprisonment for possession of unlicensed ammunition. Their sentences will run concurrently.”
Daily News