Three men received lengthy sentences in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court for a robbery in which all the stolen items were recovered.
The incident occurred at night in November 2018 at a Wendywood home where a 66-year-old victim was assaulted. The accused Tebogo Mazibuko and Mpho Matloga who had previous criminal records were each sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment. Accomplice Thomas Mailula, a first-time offender, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. They remained in custody until their sentencing earlier this month.
The victim who was alone in his bedroom and on the phone with his son in Cape Town, heard a loud bang on the door. He went to check and was met in the hallway by the three accused. He dashed back to the bedroom and was trying to lock the door but the intruders forced the door open.
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They assaulted him and hit him on the head with a metal object while he shouted to his son on the phone to call the police. The men dragged him out of the room and covered his head with a blanket.
One of them placed his foot on his face and another sat on him while the third searched the house. He begged them to leave him alone as he was old and that he would give them whatever they wanted.
They took his wife’s jewellery, two television sets, a laptop, an iPad and cell phone all worth R178 000. Police who reacted to the son’s call apprehended the robbers as they tried to flee the scene.
The phone was found on Mailula and the other items were found scattered around the house. Mazibuko using the alias Collen Maile, had previous criminal records and was on parole when he reoffended. Matloga had previous convictions and a pending criminal case.
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