Two men found guilty of aggravated armed robbery were each sentenced to 15 years by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
Melusi Ncube (29) and Mongezi Ntshangase (31), who was shot in the stomach by security guards pursuing them, were convicted on 26 June by Magistrate Renier Boshoff for a business robbery which occurred mid-morning on 12 August.
The pair robbed a photocopy machine repair shop last year in Wynberg. Two accomplices escaped and are still at large.
They went to the shop with a machine they claimed needed to be repaired. One of them stood guard at the entrance while his accomplices talked to the shop attendants before one of them drew a gun.
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They threatened the attendants, tied their hands with cable ties, forced them to sit on chairs with their hands between their legs and took their rings, cellphones and wallets.
Two guards from 24/7 Security Company, reacted to the scene after a panic alarm was activated and found the sentry at the door. When asked if everything was okay, he told the guards that he didn’t know and that they should go in and check.
When inside, the guards were signalled by the hostages that they had been taken hostage.
One of the robbers shot at but missed the guards as all four fled. The gunman was shot and secured by one of the guards. The other guard chased and apprehended the second robber, while the two accomplices escaped by scaling a wall.
The injured robber was treated at a hospital under police guard.
