One of three robbers who terrorized the community of Ezakheni C1 Section in August last year will pay for his crimes by spending over 10 years behind bars.
During the evening of August 26 last year, the group of men, one armed with a firearm, targeted a 26-year-old woman who was walking home. They ran up to her and pointed a firearm at her, robbing her of her cell-phone.
Immediately after robbing the woman, they turned their attention on a group of three individuals who were walking in a park close by. They stole two cell-phones from the individuals.
The suspects then instructed the group to run.
Fearing for their lives, they did as instructed. Gunshots rang out and one of the victims was shot in the leg for failing to give up his phone.
In a twist of fate, an off-duty police constable witnessed the incident. He immediately sprang into action as soon as the first shot was fired. He used his service pistol to fire at the suspects in an effort to protect the lives of the robbery victims.
One of the suspects, Tholinhlanhla Phungula (25), fell to the ground after sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg.
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He lay on the ground with all three cell-phones still in his possession, while his friends abandoned him.
The victim, as well as the suspect, did not sustain life-threatening injuries and received medical attention.
Phungula never revealed the identity of his accomplices and stood trial on April 25 this year in the Ezakheni Regional Court.
He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for his role in the first incident and 10 years for the second incident. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Both cases were investigated by Sergeant Chamane of Ezakheni Detective Services.
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