Thief who robbed Bluff motorist at boom gate gets 8 years in prison

A Durban robber has been jailed to an effective eight years behind bars for stealing a woman’s handbag in Bluff last year.

A video of the attack went viral on social media.

It shows the robber stealing the woman’s handbag from her Toyota Tazz as she was exiting a shopping mall.

The woman chases after the suspects and one of the suspects are knocked on.

This week the Durban Regional Court accepted the guilty plea of 28-year-old Sicelo Mpanza and sentenced him to an effective eight years in jail for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KZN said the incident took place in September 2023 in the Bluff area.

“In his plea, Mpanza said that he was at the shopping centre in the Bluff with two friends that he had recently met,” said NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

“His friends planned on robbing someone so they could sell the stolen items for money. Since he was going through a difficult time and did not have money, Mpanza decided to join them,” she said.

“The one friend who owned a motor vehicle dropped them off at the shopping centre. They agreed that this motor vehicle would be their getaway car from the scene should they need to flee.”

In his plea Mpanza said he and his other friend spotted the victim going to her motor vehicle and driving to the boom gate.

“They decided to rob her as she was carrying a handbag and wearing a necklace.”

Mpanza said together with his friend who was armed they approached the victim at the driver’s side window and pointed the gun at her.

“Further in his plea, Mpanza said that he leaned in and grabbed her handbag while his friend grabbed her necklace,” the NPA said.

The NPA said Mpanza said he fled the scene with the handbag, but the victim followed him with her car and in chasing him, collided with him.

“He fell to the ground because he was injured in the collision and dropped her handbag,” the NPA said.

“The handbag was picked up by someone nearby and returned to the complainant. Mpanza was arrested shortly after, and his friend fled the scene in the getaway vehicle, taking the necklace with him.”

Mpanza admitted that his actions were unlawful.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said since the incident she is fearful to go out and experiences a lot of anxiety.

“She said that before the incident she was very social, outgoing, and felt free to move around within her community, however, things have since changed and she is now anxious when she leaves her home.”

Ramkisson-Kara said that during sentencing the court deviated from the minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, citing Mpanza’s age and the fact that he pleaded guilty as substantial and compelling reasons for the deviation.

-IOL News

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