A self-confessed skelm who was part of a R4 million Sassa payout heist has been sentenced to eight years in the mang by the Khayelitsha Priority Crimes Court after pleading guilty.
More than seven years after robbery at Shoprite in Parow, Yamkela Sima Jacobs, 35, was convicted for his role in the heist.
Hawks spokesperson, warrant officer Zinzi Hani, says during the robbery on 1 February 2017, nine males approached security guards at the back of the staff entrance of the winkel.
“The suspects pointed firearms at the guards and entered the shop. The staff members were forced into the staff room. They were then searched by the suspects. All the cellphones of the staff members were robbed from them and placed in a bag. The suspects demanded to see the manager. The manager was then threatened with firearms. He was then taken to his office where the drop safe was. Once in the office, the suspects demanded money,” she says.
Hani explains that the manager told the skelms there was no money in the safe and they proceeded to take the money that was destined for the tills and placed it in bags.
But after they threatened the manager further, he revealed there was cash meant for Sassa payouts on the day.
“He then showed them where the grant money was kept. The suspects took an amount of approximately R4 million and also placed it in bags. The suspects then fled the scene. The case was investigated and arrests were effected. Four suspects were apprehended.”
Jacobs was busted alongside Melikhaya Johnson Dlakavu , Sphiwo Toba and Thulile Peter and the group was charged with 13 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Jacobs changed his plea to guilty and was subsequently sentenced to 12 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances of which four years is suspended for a period of five years.
For the remaining counts of robbery, he also received a 12-year sentence of which four years is suspended for a period of five years.
While he received a combined sentence of 24 years, he will serve an effective eight years in prison and was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The case against the remaining three suspects was postponed to 17 September for the appointment of Legal Aid lawyers.
Provincial Head of Hawks’ Western Cape, Major-General Mathipa Makgato, commended the team for their the excellent work.
“Having realised the risk in pursuing armed robbers, the members remained committed to the cause of protecting lives. Through their relentless pursuit of the suspects, the accused is now removed from society and justice has been served,” says Makgato.
monique.duval@inl.co.za