The Khayelitsha Regional Court has sentenced two accused to sixty years imprisonment each, on 19 February 2024, according to a statement released by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Sakhiwo Khala (42) and Siyabulela Mcelu (37) were both found guilty on 8 November 2023.
The charges consisted of ‘attempted robbery with aggravated circumstances (cash-in-transit), two counts of attempted murders, murder, two counts of possession of illicit firearms and two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition’.
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Both Khala and Mcelu will serve 22 years of direct imprisonment.
The charges stemmed from an attempted cash-in-transit robbery of an SBV cash vehicle at Nolungile Railway Station in Khayelitsha that occurred in 2015.
Three suspects opened fire on crew members of the vehicle, with both parties having sustained injuries.
One of the attackers was fatally wounded, while the other two attackers escaped the scene on foot.
Khala and Mcelu were later traced by the Hawks and subsequently arrested, Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed.
Both were also charged for ‘fatally wounding one of their own co-suspects’.
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Picture: Pexels / Katrin Bolovtsova
