MOPANI – Robert Rikhotso (25) and Arnod Bamjee (26) of Nkuzana settlement in the Hlanganani area were each sentenced to 10 years in jail for armed robbery on Monday. The case was finalised in the Hlanganani magistrate’s court on Monday.

The case relates to an incident that took place at the Nkuzana village during the night of March 3, 2003, at about 20:00.

The court heard that Rikhotso and Bamjee had proceeded to one of the local supermarkets, Dlodloma Supermarket, during the night of the incident. One of them pretended to the shopkeeper that he wanted to buy something from the supermarket.

While the shopkeeper was still trying to assist one of them, the other one produced a firearm and fired several shots in the air. They later demanded money from the shopkeeper at gunpoint. The court further heard that the gunmen stole a large amount of money, tobacco and airtime vouchers before disappearing in the darkness.

They were later arrested after the police received a tip-off from concerned residents. The case was remanded several times in the same court before reaching its conclusion on Monday this week. They were each found guilty for armed robbery.

They will each spend fifteen years in jail for the crime they had committed. The spokesperson for the police in the Mopani Area, Capt Maano Sadiki, stated that the fact that cases of armed robbery are still being reported on a daily basis was an indication that there are still more illegal firearms and ammunition that have not been surrendered, despite the fact that the amnesty period for the surrendering of those weapons has been extended until the end of next month.