KWAZULU-NATAL – The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation has welcomed the lengthy sentences that were handed down to two men for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The Ntuzuma Regional Court convicted and sentenced Bongani Shongwe (32) and Mageza Mbambo (30) on Friday after they carried a brazen armed robbery on 23 September 2016 at KwaMashu.
Shongwe and Mbambo confronted two security guards who were collecting cash inside a service station shop. The accused demanded safe keys and fled with the cash, workers cell phones, two firearms from security guards and also disarmed two customers who were in the shop.
Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime were activated and investigations were initiated which resulted in the arrest of the two convicts in 2017. One stolen firearm and a BMW which was used during the commission of the crime were seized.
The two made a series of court appearances culminating in their sentencing last week Friday. Mbambo was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment whilst Shongwe was slapped with a 75 years sentence. The court ruled that in some counts, Mbambo’s sentence will run concurrently, as a result he will serve 45 years in prison.
