During the past six years Fidelity Guards lost R274-million in robberies, the coordinator of the company’s cash-in-transit investigation told the Johannesburg High Court on Monday. Chris Earle, previously commander of the then Brixton murder and robbery unit, was called as a witness by the prosecution to place
aggravating factors before court prior to sentencing of the convicted former Southgate Clicks store manager Richard Molimi.
Molimi was found guilty of participating in a robbery at the store in October 2000 which left two people dead.
Security guards were collecting the store’s takings when they were attacked and robbed of more than R40 000.
Also convicted with Molimi on the seven charges including aggravated robbery, two counts of murder, attempted murder and kidnapping were Ishmael Moshoeshoe, who acted as go-between (between Molimi and the robbers) and Sifiso Mbambo who was one of the robbers. One of the robbers died during the shoot-out.
In closing argument, Advocate Wilhelmina Voss urged the court to consider the death of a security guard who had been employed to protect Molimi, Clicks staff and customers as an aggravating factor.
Voss also urged the court to consider that Moshoeshoe was employed by Fidelity Guards before the robbery happened and left the company because he claimed the work was too dangerous.
Presenting statistics to the court for the year 2000, Earle said 368 cash-in-transit robberies happened in that year.
About 20 guards lost their lives, 143 were injured and 339 firearms were stolen.
Judge David Makhoba is expected to pass sentence on Wednesday. – Sapa