Two men with previous criminal records were denied bail by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court when they appeared on attempted robbery charges.
Sibonile Makhubalo and Lunto Mfobo, of Pimville, Soweto, and Berea respectively, were arrested mid-morning on 16 March in Woodmead for robbery and illegal gun possession. They approached a motorist stopped in heavy traffic at a robot-controlled intersection. As they tried to open the vehicle’s door, they saw a police vehicle in the traffic and fled.
The police, who had seen them, pursued them on foot as they headed towards a getaway vehicle parked nearby while firing shots at the police, who evaded injury. As they got near the vehicle, the driver, seemingly seeing the officers in pursuit, drove off, leaving the men stranded. They were apprehended, and a loaded gun was recovered from one of them.
Investigations revealed their previous convictions dating back to 2006, which include robbery and housebreaking, with some of the crimes committed using aliases. They will reappear in court on 29 May.
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