One of the armed robbers of a G4S cash-in-transit van in Bloemfontein has received 20 years’ imprisonment for theft of a motor vehicle and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court convicted and sentenced Nzimeni Petrus Madlala (49) on Friday, 2 August, on the strength of evidence presented.
His conviction and sentencing was a result of probing by the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. This originates from the armed robbery of G4S security guards at a shopping complex in the Rocklands township in Bloemfontein, on 20 December 2021.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Madlala was arrested on 3 January 2022 following a thorough investigation which positively linked him to the armed ambush of three G4S security officials at the shopping complex.
“The court sentenced Madlala to five years’ direct imprisonment for the theft of a motor vehicle and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances,” said Singo.
He said the security guards were busy loading money from the ATM when approached by heavily armed suspects who demanded money from them.
“The suspects took the trolley bags containing money, two service pistols, two-way hand radio as well as two cellphones from the officials. Thereafter, they fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money,” said Singo. Madlala was arrested weeks later after the robbery in broad daylight.
