The reward money would be issued for information that leads to the arrest and successful prosecution of the people responsible for the crimes, which were committed over the past two years. Picture: iStock
Two robbers were slapped with lengthy jail terms for robbing a Jet store in Bizana in the Eastern Cape in May 2016.
The Bizana Magistrate’s Court sentenced Silungile Mabengu (27) and Nkosivumile Bhekisifo (33) on Friday for two counts of robbery.
On the day of the robbery, four men entered the Jet store and pretended to be customers, Hawks spokesperson Lwando Zenzile said.
“A few minutes later, they accosted the store manager and other staff members and demanded the safe keys and got away [with] R20 000 and cellphones. Before disappearing, they forcefully dismantled the CCTV machine and locked everyone in the cash office,” Zenzile said.
No injuries were reported.
One of the four men was killed in an unrelated robbery incident in KwaZulu-Natal, Zenzile said. Another suspect is still at large. Mabengu and Bhekisifo were arrested in October and December respectively.
“Both [men] were released out on R2 000 bail [and] the case was transferred to [the] Bizana Regional Court for trial. Mabengu and Bhekisifo were finally convicted and were found guilty of two counts of robbery,” Zenzile said.
Mabengu, a first offender, was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment and Bhekisifo was sentenced to 18 years.
The men were declared unfit to possess firearms.
News24 Wire
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