The North Gauteng high court sentenced four security officers to 30 years in prison each for the cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery on Thursday.

According to court documents, on January 7, 2020 Henrico Fourie (39), Josiah Lucas Maseko (48), Morris Fanie Mbuyani (30) and Lazarus Ntlatleng (28) bombed an SBV cash truck and stole its content on the N4 highway east of Pretoria.

The men were sentenced to 25 years for robbery, 15 years for illegal possession of firearms, 10 years for contravention of the explosives act and five years for illegal possession of ammunition to run concurrently as well as an an additional five years for conspiracy to commit a crime.

Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Bonnie Nxumalo said Fourie, Mbuyani and Ntlatleng worked for SBV while Maseko was a former employee at the time.

“The SBV truck was travelling on the N4 highway to Bronkhorstspruit when men rammed into it causing it to veer off the road,” Nxumalo said.

“The gunmen forced the security guards in the truck out then robbed them of their service firearms.

“They detonated the truck with explosives, took the cash and fled the scene.”

She said Ntlatleng was inside the truck but worked in cahoots with the robbers.

She said to help the investigation, SBV had offered a R1m reward for information on robbery.

The men were convicted for robbery with aggravating circumstances, contravention of the explosives act, conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition.

Nxumalo said Hawks detectives worked tirelessly to solve the case that shocked many residents.

At the time, SBV group CEO Mark Barette said the company thoroughly investigated all such incidents.

“SBV does not tolerate any violence, crime and threats to human lives.

“We will tirelessly persist in our efforts to mitigate cash-in-transit crime and together with the authorities and the CIT industry, we will ensure that the perpetrators of CIT attacks are brought to justice,” said Barette.