Two men from Diepsloot were remanded in custody by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court in connection with a case of business robbery committed in Midrand earlier this year.
Their alleged accomplice died in hospital after being treated for injuries sustained during the incident.
The two are accused of robbing a building contractor of R60 000 at a site on 30 March. They were said to have pounced on the contractor who was counting wages in his car with two employees. One of the accused allegedly pointed a gun at the driver and took R35 000 from the contractor. Another, armed with a knife, demanded and took R25 000 from an employee who was seated on the passenger side.
The accused allegedly forced the victims out of the car but it failed to start when they tried to escape in it. Two of them pushed it with one holding the gun and shooting in the direction of the victims. Two of the victims were shot in the thigh and lower leg.
When the car wouldn’t start, the accused ran away on foot. Some of the contractor’s employees gave chase and were joined by police who had been alerted to the robbery.
Two of the accused were apprehended and a third jumped into a river where he tried to hide under water. He sustained injuries to the head after being pelted with stones and was taken by ambulance to hospital where he died before appearing in court.
Some of the money was recovered and a magazine with bullets was found on the deceased. The gun was presumed to have been thrown into the river.
The case continues.
