Highway house robber sentenced to 56 years
Sboniso Msomi's five co-accused were killed during a shootout with police from the K9 Unit.
THIRTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD Sboniso Msomi was sentenced at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court to 56 years imprisonment following charges of burglary, robbery, murder and attempted murder.
His sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, 27 May, follows a series of crimes he committed in the Kloof, Wyebank and Pinetown areas.
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Msomi and his deceased co-accused were terrorising home owners and robbed them of their belongings.
On 19 February 2018, six males entered houses in the Pinetown area and robbed the occupants in the houses of TVs, cash, jewellery, laptops, cellphones and other belongings.
“The suspects fled the scene in their getaway vehicle. The police were immediately alerted and the suspect’s vehicle was spotted travelling along the M13 in Fields Hill. The police officers from the K9 Unit tried to intercept the said vehicle but they were met by a hail of bullets.
“During the exchange of gun-fire, five males were fatally wounded and one survived with injuries,” said Pinetown Cluster communications officer, Capt Bongumusa Manqele.
Inside the suspect’s vehicle, the police found three illegal firearms with ammunition. All the property that was taken during the robbery was recovered and positively identified by the lawful owners.
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It was established that the vehicle has previously been stolen during a house robbery in Wyebank.
A water-tight docket was presented at court by the investigating officer from EThekwini District Trio Task Team and it led to the successful prosecution of the surviving accused.
The accused made several court appearances until his sentence.
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