TEN YEARS DIRECT IMPRISONMENT FOR FARM ROBBERS

KWAZULU-NATAL – On Friday, 5 March 2021 Pietermaritzburg High Court convicted and sentenced five accused for robbery and kidnapping which happened at Bergville area in KwaZulu-Natal.
On 9 October 2018 at about 11:30 six accused arrived in two vehicles at one of the farms in Bergville. They pretended to be officials from South African Reserve Service (SARS) and South African Police Service. The accused demanded to see the firearms for inspection and suddenly ambushed the homeowners, tied them up before ransacking the house.
The accused found a safe and managed to break it open. They then stole more than R3 million and fled the scene in their getaway vehicles. The victims managed to untie themselves and reported the matter to the police. The case docket was allocated to Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime for further investigation.
A multidisciplinary operation was conducted and accused’s vehicles were spotted on the N3 driving towards Durban. Police intercepted them near Camperdown area and four accused were arrested on the spot. Two of them managed to escape and were later arrested. Police recovered R3.3 million which was concealed in a bullet proof vest, police bullet proof vests, blue lights and one licensed firearm as well as live rounds of ammunition.
The accused, Mlungisi Ntombela (45), Bonginkosi Cele (45), Sipho Mhlanga (41) Mthokozisi Shozi (38) and Thokozani Aubrey Shozi (41) were each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for robbery and 5 years imprisonment for kidnapping. The sentences will run concurrently.