Four cash-in-transit robbers sentenced to 30 years in jail

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday sentenced four cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers to an effective 30 years imprisonment.

Henrico Fourie (39), Josiah Lucas Maseko (48), Morris Fanie Mbuyani (30) and Lazarus Ntlatleng (28) were sentenced for a series of crimes committed in 2020.

Series of crimes

“The court sentenced the group to 25 years for robbery, 10 years for contravention of the Explosives Act, five years for conspiracy to commit crime, 15 years for illegal possession of firearms and five years for illegal possession of ammunition.

“The sentence for explosives, firearms and ammunition will run concurrently,” police spokesperson Warrant Officer Bonnie Nxumalo said.

Bronkhorstspruit CIT heist

On 7 January 2020, an SBV armoured vehicle was travelling on the N4 highway to Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria, when a vehicle with a group of armed men rammed into the cash van, which then veered off the road, the statement read .

Fourie and his accomplices forced the security guards out of the vehicle and took their service guns.

They placed explosives onto the vehicle and set it off. They then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.

“The case was reported to the Bronkhorstspruit police who prompted an investigation by the Germiston based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit who worked exhaustively to solve the case,” Nxumalo said.

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Manhunt for CIT robbers

Meanwhile, Gauteng police are searching for suspects who were allegedly involved in a CIT robbery in Orlando East, Soweto, on Tuesday.

The three security guards were driving from Bara Mall headed towards Orlando East when they were allegedly accosted by an unknown number of suspects who brought their vehicle to a standstill.

The suspects took their guns and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.

One of the victims, believed to be the driver, sustained a head injury after he was allegedly hit with the butt of a firearm by the suspects.

Compiled by Lethabo Malatsi.

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