The Alexandra Magistrates’ Court remanded in custody a 29-year-old man for business robbery of a shop committed in Ext 7 in the afternoon on 3 April.
The accused, who was known to the victims, committed the crime with three other suspects who are still at large. He will reappear in court after securing a legal representative.
The court heard that after entering the shop, one of the suspects allegedly pointed a firearm at one of the traders and demanded money. The suspect was informed that there was money under a mattress in the shop. The man found and took R8 000. Meanwhile, another man posing as a customer approached another trader who was on his cellphone outside the shop unaware of what was happening inside.
The second suspect pointed a gun at the trader and ordered him not to move before he grabbed his cellphone, searched him and stole an undisclosed amount of money from his pockets. He then ordered the trader into the shop where he joined his two accomplices and further robbed the victims of their laptop, two Samsung Galaxy cellphones and other items all valued at R24 400.
Before leaving, the accused allegedly hit one trader with a gun on the head inflicting an injury and an accomplice shot and injured the other trader in the thigh. The traders were treated at the Alex Clinic.
The accused was arrested on 10 March at his residence which was pointed out to police by one of the victims.
None of the stolen items were recovered.
