A home invasion syndicate that unleashed a reign of terror in Mpumalanga and Gauteng has been sentenced to 60 years each in prison.
The syndicate was responsible for no less than 12 armed robberies in Springs, Devon and Kinross. It also emerged that some of the syndicate members had warrant of arrests issued against them spanning more than 10 years which were never affected.
In September 2010, 11 suspects went on a violent crime spree.
They robbed three houses one after the other in Kinross, a small gold mining town in Mpumalanga, stealing jewellery, cash and a firearm.
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The victims were tied up and assaulted before the armed gang made off with stolen valuables.
The three armed robberies were executed within minutes of each other – in less than an hour.
It was at the last house where the victims got the strength to contact the Devon SAPS and gave them the description of the suspects including the getaway vehicles.
The local police immediately mobilised the Secunda Hawks Serious Organised team, members from Kinross and Leslie SAPS as well as Ekurhuleni Springs Metro Police.
In what seemed like something out of a big-budget movie, the heavily armed gang was confronted.
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A shootout ensued between the suspects and the police members after they refused demands to stand down.
They came out second best after five of their gang members were left lifeless.
The other six managed to escape and they then hijacked a truck, shooting the driver who later succumbed to his injuries.
However, their attempted escape was short-lived after the six were cornered by the determined police team.
A search of the crime scene following the shootout and the rapid arrests, the integrated team seized 10 firearms which included, among others, R5 rifles, handguns, as well as all the stolen goods.
The six suspects, John Mokele (40), Sfiso Mbele (45), Mandla Panyeko (44), Mpumelelo Biyana (41), Sphiwe Ngcobo (37) and Siphiwe Mbonani (40) were charged with 44 counts ranging from murder, attempted murder, a series of house robberies, truck and car hijackings, possession of illegal firearms and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Following an eight-year marathon trial, the Palm Ridge High Court returned guilty verdicts against five suspects last week Wednesday condemning them to 60 years in jail each.
Ngcobo perished during the trial while Mbonani decided to abscond and he was, however, sentenced in absentia.
Mbonambi has since been rearrested and he was found in possession of four illegal firearms and ammunition.
With the 60 years imprisonment, he is still facing charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition of which the case is still under investigation.
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Mpumalanga Provincial Hawks Head Maj Gen Ntombizodwa Mokoena has applauded the conviction of the criminal gang.
“I want to commend the tremendous cooperative work done by the integrated team, the investigative officer who worked under strenuous conditions after receiving countless death threats, the NPA, all the witnesses and members on the community.
“I hope the sentencing will bring some much-needed relief knowing that these individuals won’t be around to break into their homes anytime soon since these criminals are going to spend a long time in prison,” says Mokoena.
