Durban e-hailing driver gets twenty years in jail for house robbery

The e-hailing driver said he was a recruited by a house robbery gang when he was transporting them in his vehicle.

File Picture

Published Apr 22, 2021

Share

DURBAN - A 33-year-old e-hailing taxi driver was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in the Durban High Court on Thursday for his role in house robberies.

Zamani Lloyd Blose pleaded guilty to several charges including robbery, housebreaking with intent to rob, robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of murder.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Kara said that in his plea, Blose said just days after he got a job as an e-hailing driver in August 2020, he noticed that the men he was transporting to Northdene were armed.

He said they had masks, guns and other weapons.

“They told him that they were going to commit a robbery and asked him to join them. He agreed to this and one of them changed his car’s number plates.”

Kara said when the men got to the house, they found that the driveway gate was open.

Blose reversed the car in for an easy getaway, while the others went into the house, she said.

The men then ran out of the house with some electronic equipment, followed by the owners of the house.

Kara said Blose sped away and dropped off his accomplices in Lamontville.

“They gave him R800 for his assistance and he continued with his e-hailing job.”

A week later, Blose was contacted by the same men who asked him to give them a ride to Westville.

On this occasion, Blose said he was asked to go inside the house with the men.

They jumped over the fence and forced the door open with a crowbar.

“Once inside they stole some items and encountered two women, who began to scream.

Their screams alerted two men who were also in the house, and they confronted Blose and his accomplices with firearms.”

Kara said the men then ran outside and alerted their accomplices that the people inside the house were armed.

One of the accomplices produced a firearm and there was an exchange of gunshots.

Blose was wounded and two of his accomplices were shot dead. Another accomplice fled on foot, but was later arrested.

“In his plea, Blose acknowledged that when he embarked on these crimes he foresaw that people, including himself and his accomplices, could be injured or killed, but continued regardless.”

The NPA welcomed the sentence in the matter that was successfully prosecuted by Senior State advocate Krishen Shah.

“He was sentenced to an effective 20 years imprisonment.”

THE MERCURY

Related Topics:

Crime and courts