The ruling was handed down by the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court.
Parkview police communications officer, Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha, said the two men committed the crime on 18 November 2013.
“The pair arrived unannounced at a property on Napier Road, Parktown West, just before 1pm,” he said.
“They were in the company of two accomplices. They then gained access into the property under the guise that they were there to finish electrical work [currently being performed].
“The domestic worker opened the gate for them, having recognised Chitumbura who had been [doing some of] the electrical work in the house the previous week.”
The suspects then produced firearms and threatened the domestic worker, the gardener, and a woman who was visiting.
“They tied the victims up using cable ties and started ransacking the house,” Ramovha said.
While the suspects were in the house, the homeowner, a medical doctor, arrived home. The suspects pointed a firearm at her and she was instructed to join the other victims.
“At this stage, the suspects started loading their loot which included TVs, laptops and various other valuables into the victim’s vehicle,” said Ramovha.
Just before the suspects left, one of the accused took a juice bottle from the fridge and added a substance to it which was later established to be Rattex, a rat poison. The victims were then bizarrely forced to drink the juice before they were locked in one of the bedrooms.
The suspects then made their getaway in the homeowner’s vehicle.
“The victims managed to free themselves and summoned help. They were later taken to the local hospital for medical treatment,” Ramovha said.
“A swift preliminary investigation by Parkview Police Station members, more specifically Constable Lawrence Makhudu, led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle later on that day.”
The accused were arrested at an address in Olievenhoutbosch near Diepsloot, and were still in possession of some stolen items.
“Investigation officer, detective Constable Sydwell Nkuna, also deserves a special mention for a successful investigation that brought the conviction to fruition,” said the proud Ramovha.
The accused have been sentenced to 17 years each for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and 10 years each for attempted murder. They were further declared unfit to possess a firearm.
