Two pastors are finally behind bars – two years after committing an armed robbery at the Universal Church, corner of Dover and Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg.
The former pastors were sentenced to 13 years each on two counts of robbery by the Regional Court sitting at Randburg Magistrates’ Court.
During an armed robbery on the evening of 15 October 2013 Jerry Ralebofu and Godfrey Mbhele robbed the pastor at gunpoint in the church and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, laptop and bank cards.
Following a thorough investigation by Detective Constable Oscar Mutau and his team, the two culprits were then arrested separately in Mofolo Park and Protea Glen in Soweto and were later identified as the former pastors of the Universal Church in Randburg.
It was also established that the former pastors were involved in another armed robbery in Merafe Universal Church in Soweto.
This sentence was described as a victory by the police.
Randburg Police spokesperson Constable Stanley Bopape said the successful prosecution indicated that police were following all the cases to the end.
“We do not have space for criminals in our precinct and we investigate all the crime incidents until the suspects are behind bars,” Const Bopape added.
Details: Randburg SAPS 011 449 9000.
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