Pretoria: The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 36-year-old Zimbabwean national Prince Ncube to 15 years’ imprisonment for a business robbery.
Johannesburg district spokesperson for the South African Police Service Captain Xoli Mbele said Ncube was sentenced on Wednesday.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“The accused and two of his accomplices robbed Pep Store, at corner Albertina Sisulu and Joubert Street, on the 6th of November 2019 at 3pm. They entered the shop pretending to be customers. (The) accused pointed a firearm at a security guard at the entrance and his accomplices took an undisclosed amount of money from the tills,” said Mbele.
When the three robbers left the business premises, one of the customers followed them and alerted police officers who were patrolling the area.
“A chase ensued and he (Ncube) was apprehended at the corner of President and Loveday streets. A toy gun was recovered from him. Two of his accomplices are still at large with the money taken from the store.”
Ncube remained in custody until he was sentenced.
Mbele said the “good conviction” was a result of diligent work by the investigating officer, Sergeant Steven Maboko of the Johannesburg Central trio detectives.
“We hope this sentence will scare away would-be offenders from committing the same crime,” said Mbele.
Last month, three hijacked trucks with goods worth more than R8 million were recovered in Alrode, Alberton, Gauteng police said.
At the time, SAPS provincial spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello said the trucks were recovered during a multidisciplinary operation.
“According to a preliminary report, the police obtained information on suspects allegedly linked to business robbery and truck hijacking incidents around the areas of Tembisa, Kempton Park and Daveyton,” said Sello.
“The information was swiftly operationalised and a team, consisting of members from the SAPS, EMPD (Ekurhuleni metro police department) and JMPD (Johannesburg metro police department) proceeded to an identified address in Jetpark.
“Upon arrival, the suspects had already fled the scene with three delivery trucks and goods after they allegedly held eight staff members and a security guard at gunpoint,” she said.
Sello said information led the team to a warehouse in Alrode where two people, aged 36 and 40, were arrested.
IOL