/ 24 October 2006

Jo’burg heist case postponed

The case against four men arrested in connection with a shoot-out and robbery in central Johannesburg on October 10 was postponed on Tuesday, police said.

Senior Superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said one of the four suspects arrested on October 11 committed suicide while in police custody. Another suspect was arrested a week later on October 18 at the Jeppe Hostel.

All four men who appeared on Tuesday were remanded in custody and the case was postponed to November 2.

Fana Makhanya (25), Laurent Alfanso (44), Boekizwe Ndlovu (27) and the fourth suspect, Goldridge Mazibuko (34), were charged with attempted murder, murder, armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The men were arrested for their alleged involvement in a robbery that turned Bree Street into a war zone when a shoot-out ensued between them and cash-in-transit guards.

”At present there are at least five other suspects at large,” said Martins-Engelbrecht.

A 15-month-old baby, Nkhensani Mtileni, was shot and killed in the shoot-out and seven other people were wounded. — Sapa