News / Africa
Bongani Moyo trial delayed in SA
14 Mar 2013 at 19:54hrs | Views
Johannesburg - The trial of serial escape artist Bongani Moyo was delayed for a second time in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.
Judge George Webster postponed the trial of Moyo, Kumbulani Sibanda, Leon Ncube and Thabani Sibanda to 18 March, at the request of the State.
The four were closely guarded by a large number of heavily armed policemen and correctional services officials.
The four Zimbabwean citizens are facing 16 charges relating to a series of armed bank robberies in Gauteng and the North West in 2011.
The charges include one of racketeering, six of robbery with aggravating circumstances and one of escaping from custody.
The court was earlier told that Moyo and Khumbulani Sibanda were discussing a possible plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
The four accused escaped from prison in March 2011, a month before the alleged bank robberies commenced.
Moyo also managed to escape from the Pretoria Magistrate's Court in August 2011 while he was on crutches.
He was re-arrested three weeks later near the Beitbridge border post in Limpopo while allegedly re-entering South Africa from Zimbabwe.
He allegedly managed to escape again from the Pretoria Central prison in 2012.
The State alleges the four accused were part of a gang which planned and executed a series of armed bank robberies in Pretoria, Rustenburg, Boksburg and Roodepoort in April and May 2011 which netted them over R260 000.
The State alleges Thabani Sibanda had attempted to murder policeman Warrant Officer Charles van Niekerk by trying to run him over with a car when Van Niekerk was trying to arrest him in Hillbrow, Johannesburg in 2011.
Van Niekerk managed to jump away before being hit, whereupon Sibanda allegedly collided with the police vehicle.
Judge George Webster postponed the trial of Moyo, Kumbulani Sibanda, Leon Ncube and Thabani Sibanda to 18 March, at the request of the State.
The four were closely guarded by a large number of heavily armed policemen and correctional services officials.
The four Zimbabwean citizens are facing 16 charges relating to a series of armed bank robberies in Gauteng and the North West in 2011.
The charges include one of racketeering, six of robbery with aggravating circumstances and one of escaping from custody.
The court was earlier told that Moyo and Khumbulani Sibanda were discussing a possible plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
Moyo also managed to escape from the Pretoria Magistrate's Court in August 2011 while he was on crutches.
He was re-arrested three weeks later near the Beitbridge border post in Limpopo while allegedly re-entering South Africa from Zimbabwe.
He allegedly managed to escape again from the Pretoria Central prison in 2012.
The State alleges the four accused were part of a gang which planned and executed a series of armed bank robberies in Pretoria, Rustenburg, Boksburg and Roodepoort in April and May 2011 which netted them over R260 000.
The State alleges Thabani Sibanda had attempted to murder policeman Warrant Officer Charles van Niekerk by trying to run him over with a car when Van Niekerk was trying to arrest him in Hillbrow, Johannesburg in 2011.
Van Niekerk managed to jump away before being hit, whereupon Sibanda allegedly collided with the police vehicle.
Source - Sapa
