Man takes the fall for attempted robbery

Detective Bongani Ngcobo of the Douglasdale Police said three men were actually involved in the attempted robbery. The group was in possession of an unlicensed firearm and were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot of Cedar Square when security guards noticed the vehicle and called the police because the men looked suspicious. Ngcobo said the police responded quickly and apprehended all three suspects. One of the men pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted robbery and possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The other two suspects were acquitted, but Ngcobo explained that the reason for the acquittal was that they were both currently accused in an ongoing case which Langlaagte Police Station was dealing with. According to Ngcobo the acquitted suspects were willing to accept a conviction for the attempted robbery, because they did not want to face up to the more serious charges of the ongoing case they were accused in.