Six robbers who robbed a business in Ladysmith on December 11 last year were all recently sentenced to hefty jail terms for their crimes. The robbery occurred in a light industrial area of Ladysmith.
Six men, some of whom were armed, stormed the premises in the late afternoon. They wasted no time in assaulting and robbing the business owner and staff members. Several items – including a firearm, cash and a wristwatch – were taken.
Police were promptly informed and sprang into action. A few hours later, officers from the Ladysmith K9 Unit and Cluster Task Team arrested the six suspects.
They were apprehended in the Acaciavale area and several stolen items were found in their possession. The firearm that was taken from the complainant was one of the recovered items.
The suspects made several appearances in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court, where bail was successfully opposed by the investigating officer. The accused remained in custody.
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The accused faced charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances (count 1), possession of an unlicensed firearm (count 2) and possession of ammunition (count 3). The case was recently finalised in the Ladysmith Regional Court.
Andile Ndlovu (30), Bonga Innocent Dladla (36) and Simphiwe Mhlongo (35) were all sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and found unfit to possess a firearm.
Manzi Mhlongo (43), Khuziwayo Mbuso Bhekisigcino (36) and Mthethwa Sibelo Sibingiseni (29) were sentenced to 15 years on count 1, 15 years on count 2 and 12 months on count 3, as well as being found unfit to possess a firearm.
The court ordered that eight years of the sentence in respect of count 2 and 3 are to run concurrently with count 1. They will effectively serve 22 years in jail.
The case docket was investigated by Sergeant Marina Mynhardt of Ladysmith Detective Services.
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