A 35-year-old man who robbed a Shoprite in Parow in 2017 has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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In February 2017, nine men walked up to security guards at the back of the staff entrance of Shoprite in Parow, pointed firearms at them and entered the shop.
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They forced the staff members into the staff room, where they searched them and took all of their cell phones.
Then the men threatened the manager with their firearms and demanded money. The group ended up taking off with an amount of approximately R4 million destined for the tills and SASSA grant payments.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani says four men were arrested, including Yamkela Sima Jacobs (35), Melikhaya Johnson Dlakavu (44), Sphiwo Toba (40) and Thulile Peter (58).
All four were charged with 13 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
On 28 August 2024, Jacobs changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all charges.
He was sentenced as follows:
- Count one: Robbery with aggravating circumstances: sentenced to twelve (12) years imprisonment, of which four (4) years is suspended for a period of five (5) years.
- Count two: Robbery with aggravating circumstances: sentenced to twelve (12) years imprisonment, of which four (4) years is suspended for a period of five (5) years.
It was further ordered that the sentence imposed on counts two to 13 will run concurrently with the sentence imposed on count one in terms of Section 280 (2) of the Criminal Procedures Act, Act 51 of 1977.
In total, Jacobs will serve eight years of direct imprisonment.
The other three men will appear in the Khayelitsha Priority Court on 17 September for legal aid.
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