Two males; Vincent Thabo Machabela (33) and Tshepo Abednigo Ngungumane (34) were sentenced to 18 years imprisonment each for Robbery with aggravating circumstances by Bloemfontein Regional Court.
Four males stormed a grocery store in Universitas in Bloemfontein and threatened the manager and workers with violence on Thursday 11 February 2021 at about 15:15.
The suspects then robbed the store of several grocer items and undisclosed amount of money. They then fled the scene on a vehicle.
Alarm was raised and the police immediately circulated the description of the White Kia Picanto used by the suspects over the radio. Sergeant Siyabonga Christopher Nzeleni and Sergeant Nyakallo Walter Letsoaka from Mangaung Metro Crime Combating Unit were patrolling in OR Tambo Road at the time and started looking out for the described getaway car.
The members patrolled major routes in Mangaung and while in Tau Street the vehicle fitting the description was spotted in Modisenyane Street.
The vehicle was stopped and the fourth suspect started running.
The members arrested the other three.
On searching the vehicle, a Black and Silver toy gun, boxes of cigarettes, four different cellular telephones and cash were found stashed in a bag.
The trial started and two of the four suspects were found guilty.
Apart from the 18 year imprisonment, Thabo and Tshepo were declared unfit to possess firearms.
