KZN man slapped with 18-year jail term for CIT robbery

A KwaZulu-Natal man who blew up and robbed a cash-in-transit vehicle with accomplices three years ago has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Lt-Col Simphiwe Mhlongo, spokesperson for the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, said Sibongiseni Mkhwanazi was sentenced by the Mtubatuba regional court for the crime he committed in Somkhele, in the north of the province.

“On February 3 2020 security guards were travelling from Nongoma to Richards Bay when they were ambushed by Mkhwanazi and his accomplices,” said Mhlongo.

“They fired shots at the cash van until the driver stopped. They then robbed the security guards of their service firearms before using explosives to blow open the cash van.”

They fled the scene with an undisclosed sum of money.

Mkhwanazi was arrested a week after the heist was reported to police.

“Hawks members managed to recover the stolen vehicle used during the commission of the crime. His bank accounts were frozen due to suspicious transactions and deposited cash will be forfeited to the state.”

Mkhwanazi was found guilty and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, said Mhlongo. 

“He was further sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for two counts of attempted murder, five years' imprisonment for money laundering and three years' imprisonment for possession of stolen vehicle. His sentences will run concurrently.”

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