Durban - The Durban Regional Court has sentenced two men who went on a hijacking spree in the Montclair, south of Durban to 155 years collectively behind bars.
The men, Sphamandla Sithole and Sizwe Mkhungo carried out their reign of terror in August 2018.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, their crime spree beagan when an e-hailing taxi driver was hijacked after the two men requested a taxi ride.
They tried to put him into the car boot, however he ran away and they sped off with his car.
In another incident, they hijacked two victims and also took their cellphones and other belongings.
On the third occasion, the victim was hijacked and thrown into the boot of her car. The men drove around with her for some time before releasing her.
The last victim was hijacked by Mkhungo only, Natasha Kara Regional Spokesperson the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in KZN said.
“He accosted her outside her house, demanding her car keys,” Kara said.
“Even though she handed over the keys, he tried to enter her house, but she blocked his way and alerted the people inside causing him to flee in her car,” she said.
Sithole and Mkhungo were arrested after police followed up on information they received.
They were put in an identity parade and were positively identified by the victims.
Regional Court Prosecutor, Surekha Marimuthu led the evidence of the identity parade as well as vehicle tracking records which linked them to the crimes.
Marimuthu also handed in Victim Impact Statements compiled by the victims and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Nondumiso Nyembe.
In their statements, the victims spoke of the trauma and horror they went through when they were attacked by the accused. They said they feared for their lives.
Sithole was sentenced to 85 years (effectively 40 years as some sentences run concurrently) while Mkhungo got 70 years (effectively 25 years).
IOL