Cape Town - The court has handed two separate sentences and convictions on two perpetrators who targeted a retail business and for stealing copper wires from an electricity distribution board in Standerton.
The Standerton Regional Court on Wednesday sentenced Wisemen Thulani Mbatha, 44, to 15 years in jail for business robbery.
Meanwhile, the same court on the same day sentenced Magondwane Alfred Motha, 46, to five years imprisonment, with three years suspended for five years.
The court heard how on February 25, 2020, two armed suspects entered a certain retail chain store and staged a robbery.
They robbed the shop of cellphones as well as an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene using a white Toyota Etios as a getaway car.
"The police in Standerton were informed about the robbery and the said vehicle was spotted by the members, which resulted in a chase," police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
"The vehicle with two occupants was finally stopped at Leslie and two suspects were arrested.
"During their capture, cellphones were found recovered inside the said car which were later positively identified by the owners as properties belonging to the retail shop that was robbed by the suspects, and Mbatha was one of the two men arrested," Mohlala said.
The two appeared in court, however, along the way, the Standerton Regional Court acquitted the 42-year-old man who was arrested with Mbatha, which left him alone in the box to face the music.
"The court eventually sentenced Mbatha to 15 years imprisonment for the business robbery.
"He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm," Mohlala said.
Meanwhile, Motha's sentencing came after the court heard how he, on June 21, 2022, was caught by security officers while busy destroying, cutting and removing copper wires from the electric distribution board that supplies electricity to the soccer field and to the buildings around.
"The guards that were posted to safeguard the premises alerted SAPS members in Standerton who responded accordingly.
"Motha was then arrested and charged for tampering with essential infrastructure," Mohlala said.
He made his first court appearance in the Standerton Magistrate's Court on June 23, 2022, and he was convicted and sentenced on the same day (Friday) to five years imprisonment, with three years suspended for five years.
"The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm," Mohlala added.
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