A man, who was part of an armed gang of nine intercepted by the police earlier this year before they could carry out a planned robbery, was sentenced to 10 years wholly suspended for five years by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
Sphiwe Majozi (32) of Yeoville, received the suspended sentence after pleading guilty to the intent to commit the crime and for the possession of an illegal weapon.
One of his co-accused, who is now crippled from injuries sustained in a shooting while out on bail for this case, was discharged on humanitarian grounds after requests by police and prison authorities who said they would find it hard to keep him behind bars as he has no control of all his bodily functions.
The two had been out on bail with four others who also had been granted bail but pleaded not guilty to the possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Their case was transferred to the Randburg Regional Court. Their other three accomplices skipped bail and are at large.
The court heard that the nine were in a taxi that was waylaid by police after a tip-off from the public of their intended robbery in Midrand. Police stopped the taxi when it entered the M1 Freeway North from Corlette Drive. They were searched and found in possession of seven 9 mm rifles and ammunition. The vehicle was said to have been hired from someone who was said not to have had knowledge of the accused’s intention.
