Durban - A KwaZulu-Natal woman found guilty of robbing a Hindu temple in Chatsworth will take her 5-month-old baby to Westville Prison where she will begin serving her 7-year jail term.
Magistrate Anand Maharaj found Ntombi Gumede, 44, and Thomas Kosifa, 41, guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Durban Regional Court today.
Kosifa who worked as a general worker at the Arupa Temple was sentenced to 15 years.
The court heard that Gumede had arrived at the temple on January 25, 2018, on the pretense of wanting to view the temple hall for hire.
It was the caretaker K Kathrovelu, from Sri Lanka, who let Gumede into the hall.
Once inside the hall three males entered and held Kathrovelu at gunpoint.
They used duct tape to bound her hands, feet and mouth and thereafter stole R20 000 from temple proceeds, R80 000 worth of Kathrovelu's personal jewellery and her smart tv, laptops and other valuable items.
Another temple worker Frank Bhulu heard Kathrovelu shout for help and jumped over the fence to get help.
During investigations it was revealed that Kosifa had informed Bhula of the robbery two days prior, but told him to act surprised and flee the scene.
Kosifa had taken the day off.
Bhula turned Section 204 State witness and told the court that Kosifa had threatened to kill him.
Under cross-examination by State Prosecutor Kuveshnie Pillay, Kosifa said that Bhula was lying and that he had in fact had an alibi- his girlfriend.
However after the alibi denied in open court that she had been with Kosifa.