Two men who terrorised the OR Tambo district with a series of violent cash-in-transit robberies in 2015 have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
This brings to an end a decade-long legal process that saw multiple deaths, lengthy investigations and a string of court delays.
Phiwokuhle Msuthu, 39, and Lundi Gumenge, 41, were convicted in the Mthatha high court of murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Both were declared unfit to possess firearms.
Judge Mbulelo Jolwana sentenced the pair to life imprisonment for the murder of Fidelity Security Services employee Mnikelo Nqeto, who was gunned down during the Tsolo robbery.
They each received a further 15 years for the aggravated robbery of a Mercedes-Benz ML63 hijacked and used as a getaway car, 20 years for the attempted murders of two guards during the St Barnabas Hospital heist, and additional sentences for firearm and ammunition possession.
All sentences will run concurrently.
Msuthu received an additional 15 years for the Lusikisiki robbery, where he was found to have played a leading role.
The two were part of a group that carried out three cash-in-transit robberies between September and November 2015.
Six suspects were arrested, but two — Thandisizwe Ntumbukana and Mcebisi Poyo — died before the trial concluded, while brothers Wanele and Wonke Ndlebe were acquitted.
Armed with automatic rifles and other high-calibre weapons, the gang struck their first target on September 14 2015 on the R61 between Lusikisiki and Port St Johns, stealing R2.5m and several firearms belonging to Fidelity.
The court heard that the robbery was an inside job, assisted by an employee who later turned state witness.
Less than two months later, on November 2 2015, the gang ambushed a Fidelity vehicle on the R61 near St Barnabas Hospital.
Driver Kwanele Vapi testified that after he was shot, he drove into the hospital premises to escape, but “heavy gunfire continued right into the hospital grounds”.
Another employee, Mphumzi Mlenga, was also wounded as the robbers made off with a cash box.
Two days later, on November 4, the group struck again on the N2 between Tsolo and Mthatha.
In that attack, Nqeto was killed while fleeing and colleague Zola Mphako was shot and forced to call Fidelity’s office to provide the code to open the van’s safe.
A third guard, Vuyisile Mandoyi, spent three months in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds.
Jolwana described the robberies as “some of the most serious and heinous crimes that can be committed by an accused person”.
A Section 204 witness testified that Msuthu had organised the Lusikisiki heist and recruited other criminals from Cape Town.
The operation was meticulously planned, with a range of firearms and vehicles arranged in advance.
Jolwana said it was not “unreasonable to conclude that accused [Msuthu] was the so-called ringleader in all three robberies which appear to have been meticulously planned with a clear decision that the firepower the groups had was not for mere scare-mongering or even self-defence …
“This was for the groups to shoot their way into the safes of the Fidelity armoured vehicles even if that meant killing any or all the Fidelity employees manning those vehicles.”
The court also noted that Msuthu had previously worked in the cash transport industry and used that insider knowledge to plan the crimes.
Defence lawyers argued that both men were first-time offenders who had spent nearly 10 years in custody awaiting trial and should therefore receive leniency.
They also submitted that the accused had shown remorse by confessing to their crimes.
But Jolwana rejected those arguments, saying he had “enormous difficulties in understanding an argument made on behalf of the accused, the effect of which was that because they spent almost 10 years in pre-sentence incarceration … that should suffice as a substantial and compelling circumstance”.
He also questioned the sincerity of their remorse, noting that their legal manoeuvres — including changing lawyers several times and contesting their own confessions — had prolonged the case.
Daily Dispatch
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