A MAN who tried to mug a woman from The Bluff in September last year – he tried to hijack her while she was waiting to exit at the boom gate of a shopping centre – was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for robbery.

Sicelo Mpanza (28) appeared at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on July 16 after he pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravated circumstances.

Also read: WATCH: Robbery victim runs over thief on The Bluff

Mpanza was arrested after he was seen on CCTV video footage trying to escape after he failed to rob a woman. Acting on the circumstances, the victim, Sandy-Lee Ward, gave pursuit in her Toyota Tazz and hit him with her car near a petrol filling station on The Bluff.

In his plea, Mpanza said that he was at the shopping centre in The Bluff with two friends that he had recently met. His friends planned on robbing someone so they could sell the stolen items for money. Since he was going through a difficult time and did not have money, Mpanza decided to join them.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the one friend who owned a motor vehicle dropped them off at the shopping centre. They agreed that this motor vehicle would be their getaway car from the scene should they need to flee.

Video footage showed two men approaching Ward at the boom gate, then one man opened the driver’s door and snatched the victim’s handbag. The attempts to hijack the victim’s car were foiled when another motorist who saw the incident tried to hit one of the suspects.

The incident happened while a police van was parked at the garage, however, the victim’s handbag was recovered by a passerby and returned to the victim. The video showing this horrific incident went viral on social media platforms.

Police spokesperson for eThekwini District Captain Carmen Rhynes said the accused was convicted of robbery.

Also read: Growing support for ambushed Tazz driver

The court heard that the accused and his other friend spotted the victim proceeding to her motor vehicle and driving to the boom gate.

NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said, “They decided to rob her as she was carrying a handbag and wearing a necklace. His friend carried a gun, and together, they approached the complainant. They went to the driver’s-side window of the motor vehicle and pointed the gun at her.

“Mpanza said that he leaned in and grabbed her handbag while his friend grabbed her necklace. He fled the scene with the handbag, but the victim followed in her car. He fell to the ground because he was injured in the collision and dropped her handbag. The handbag was picked up by someone nearby and returned to the complainant. Mpanza was arrested shortly after, and his friend fled the scene in the getaway vehicle, taking the necklace with him,” said Ramkisson-Kara.

Prosecutor Vishalan Moodley handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the victim and facilitated by court preparation officer Prudence Geraud.

In her statement, the victim said that since the incident, she has been fearful to go out and experiences a lot of anxiety.

She said that before the incident, she was very social and outgoing and felt free to move around within her community, however, things have since changed, and she is now anxious when she leaves her home.

Ramkisson-Kara added, “In sentencing Mpanza, the court deviated from the minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, citing Mpanza’s age and the fact that he pleaded guilty as substantial and compelling reasons for the deviation.

“The NPA welcomes this successful prosecution, and we trust that sentences of this nature will have the necessary deterrent effect on like-minded individuals.”

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