GAUTENG - On 17 October 2023, Vusi Freddy Mbele (42) pleaded guilty on robbery aggravating and was sentenced by the Carletonville Magistrates court to 12 years direct imprisonment, half of which is suspended for 5 years. He was also found unfit to possess a firearm. After all the insurmountable evidence was presented to the defence, the accused decided to plead guilty. Effectively, Mbele is to serve 6 years behind bars.
This emanates from a case of aggravated robbery that occurred on 10 December 2020 at Edura in Carletonville. The G4S security guards were collecting cash when they were accosted by three suspects who robbed them of money and fled with R83 820-00 cash.
The Hawks’ Serious Organized Crime Investigation (SOCI) team’s meticulous investigation linked Mbele to the crime through fingerprints. Mbele was identified by the investigation team on another Carltonville case of armed robbery of gold at Blyvoor mine in Carltonville, together with other suspects via cellphone records. With the assistance of Johannesburg SOCI, Mbele was arrested and charged with possession of unlisenced firearm and ammunition which were found during his arrest.
He is currently serving time at Johannesburg prison and is attending court on three other matters. He is also wanted by the DPCI in Free State for a mine robbery and North West for a CIT robbery. He was sentenced in 2012. During his arrest he was on parole.
The Provincial Head of Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa welcomed the conviction and sentence handed down to Mbele. He further applauded the outstanding work conducted by the investigation and prosecution teams.