R35 million gold concentrate heist, accused sentenced, Stilfontein

South African Police Service

R35 million gold concentrate heist, accused sentenced, Stilfontein
R35 million gold concentrate heist, accused sentenced, Stilfontein

The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in the North West province, Major Patric Mbotho, welcomed the conviction and sentence meted out against Thulani Lushaba (30) on a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder and theft of motor vehicle.

Lushaba was found guilty on all charges when he appeared in the Stilfontein Regional Court on Friday, 21 January 2022. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 8 years imprisonment for attempted murder and 8 years imprisonment tor theft of motor vehicle, of which 4 years suspended for 5 years with conditions.

The sentences will run concurrently.

He was arrested on the 26 March 2019 in Germiston by the Klerksdorp based Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team after he was positively linked to the gold concentrate heist incident in Stilfontein.

The SSG security vehicle transporting gold concentrate between Orkney and Nicolor gold plant was ambushed by a group of suspects armed with high caliber firearms on the 08 February 2019.

The suspects rammed the security vehicle and shots were fired at the security personnel, resulting in the vehicle coming to a standstill.

The suspects took the gold concentrate with a value of approximately R35 million and fled from the scene. One security officer was injured during the incident.

A Volkswagen Tiguan used during the robbery, was later found abandoned in the Stilfontein area.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle used in the commission of crime was reportedly hijacked in Linden in January 2019.

SAPS Newsroom

SOURCESouth African Police Service