BETHAL – A policeman, Const Tshepo Skosana, and his six accomplices appeared in the Bethal Regional Court on Tuesday, June 15, on charges of armed robbery and attempted murder.
Const Skosana was stationed at eMzinoni Police Station’s detective branch.
Const Skosana and his fellow accused, Messrs Andrew Mathebula, Themba Ngubeni, Mthuthuzeli Maekiso, Sthembiso Maziya, Phathizwe Ntshangase and Vusi Mkhonto were arrested shortly after Super Save in Bethal was robbed on 2 July 2019.
The local police, together with the Secunda Cluster Crime Intelligence team arrested nine suspects, two of whom have since turned into state witnesses.
It is alleged that when the complainant opened his store around 7 am that day, seven men armed with rifles and pistols entered the store and instructed everyone to lie down.
One of the suspects entered the store with a security guard who was bleeding after he had been shot in the stomach.
The suspects searched everyone in the store and took cellphones, airtime vouchers, cigarettes worth R20 000 and R2 000 in cash. The suspects were later arrested at a guesthouse at Bethal Rand.
It is believed the suspects met here to plan the heist.
The police, the Secunda Cluster Crime Intelligence team and CPF members searched the premises and seized an AK47 with 20 rounds of ammunition and one 9mm pistol with no ammunition.
Const Skosana was found carrying a blue sports bag containing the AK47.
A shootout ensued where two of the nine suspects were shot in the legs.
They were placed under police guard at Bethal Hospital.
Four vehicles were used, but only two were confiscated of which one belongs to the state.
The gang appeared in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court for a bail application on 11 July 2019.
They were denied bail and remanded in custody.
All suspects appeared on the video footage at the supermarket and also at the guesthouse.
New video footage of the incident has since been brought to the table and a request for video footage to be looked into was made.
All suspects appeared on the video footage at the supermarket and also at the guesthouse.
Two of the suspects confessed and pointed out the accomplices voluntarily.
The court heard that Messrs Mathebula, Ngubeni, Skosana and Maekiso have no previous convictions, although Skosana is considered a dangerous person and proved himself that he cannot be trusted.
The community would expect the police to protect them and if he would be released the community would not feel safe anymore.
Mr Phathizwe Ntshangase has previous convictions of common robbery for which he was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment.
He was previously also found guilty of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
He was convicted to 18 months’ direct imprisonment.
For assault (grievous bodily harm), Ntshangase was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
He was also given a suspended sentence of five years for attempted murder.
Mr Vusi Mkhonto was previously convicted for escaping from custody, four counts of attempted murder, two counts of robbery and three counts of murder.
He was previously sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the Ekulindeni Magistrate’s Court. He had also appeared before the Morgenzon Magistrate’s Court and during his previous arrests, two firearms were confiscated.
At the time of the supermarket armed robbery, he was on parole.
The case was postponed to 18 and 19 August for trial consultation.
