Zukile Vimbela (41), Mfana Selby Gomba (33) and Bulelani Luningo (37) were sentenced by the East London Regional court to 10, 25 and 30-years direct imprisonment respectively for a robbery which occurred at Capitec bank in East London in 2016.
On 17 September 2016 at approximately 11:00, security guards from G4S security company were about to offload cash from their vehicles into the bank when approximately six armed men confronted them with firearms and disarmed them. Thereafter, they stormed into Capitec Bank, forced staff and security guards into the bank vault, locked them inside the vault and then fled with approximately R1.6 million.
The Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks immediately commenced with its investigation and with the public assistance managed to track down a BMW which was used by the robbers as a getaway vehicle. It was traced two days after the robbery at Kei Bridge as Vimbela with two occupants.
The Hawks positively linked Vimbela to the cash in transit robbery and arrested him on the same day.
Gomba and Luningo were arrested in Cape Town two days after the heist by Gugulethu SAPS members. The members arrested them for unlawful possession of firearms; a pistol and a revolver. Investigations positively linked the pistol as one of the firearms which was robbed from the G4S security guards.
On Friday 19 July 2019, the East London Regional court sentenced Vimbela to 10 years imprisonment for armed robbery. Gomba was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for armed robbery, 30 years for possession of two unlicensed firearms and 5 years for possession of ammunition.
Lastly, Luningo received 20 years’ imprisonment for armed robbery, 30 years for possession of two unlicensed firearms and five-years for possession of ammunition.
The sentences of Gomba and Luningo will run concurrently, Gomba will serve 25 years direct imprisonment whilst Luningo will serve 30 years.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, National Head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has welcomed the judgment.
“Organised criminal groups are a real threat to the safety of the community. These sentences which are a culmination of continuous partnership by all role-players should serve as a warning to other serious organised criminal groups, that committing crime guarantees one lengthy jail time. We continue to work closely with Crime Intelligence to disrupt and combat syndicates involved in cash in transit robberies,” he said.
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