Two men were each imprisoned for 12 years by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court for armed robbery aggravating.
Sibonginkosi Mvelase (31), who initially denied involvement, made a U-turn and joined accomplice Klaas Molopo (29) in confessing to the crime reported in Alex’s News’ Fat cake vendor case postponed again. A third accomplice known only as ‘Sifiso’ is on the run.
They robbed a street trader selling fat cakes and scones of his Kombi vehicle which was parked on the roadside in Midrand at 8.30am on 23 October. A witness told the court that Mvelase drove an old taxi past the spot occasionally and had observed him buying the food from the victim the previous week. On the day of the incident, Mvelase who came without his vehicle is said to have approached the victim’s vehicle from the passenger side while he sold his products from the driver’s side. He partially left the door open before approaching the victim pretending to buy the food.
Meanwhile, his accomplice, ‘Sifiso’ slid into the vehicle while Molopo also approached the victim with an order for the food. Suddenly, Sifiso attacked the victim from behind, hitting him on the back of the head with a gun butt. As he defended himself, Molopo tried but failed to open the driver’s side door until the handle broke. Sifiso opened the door from inside and he and Molopo forced the victim out of the vehicle and drove away in it with Mvelase. He at first claimed that he was at the scene to buy food from the victim and was forced into the vehicle by the other two.
The vehicle crashed against a pole after security guards in a passing security company vehicle were told about the incident and gave chase. Mvelase and Molopo were apprehended and Sifiso escaped. The victim who had been assisted to report the incident identified the accused as they were being processed at the Midrand Police Station.
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