A man convicted of robbing a woman outside a mall on the Bluff has been sentenced to eight years in prison. The crime gained widespread attention after video footage of the incident went viral on social media in September.
The footage captured Sicelo Mpanza and his accomplice stealing the woman's handbag and necklace at a boom gate exit. Following the robbery, driver Sandy Ward pursued the suspects and ran over Mpanza outside a petrol station.
Mpanza, who is 28 years old, pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravating circumstances in a Durban court. His accomplice, who fled in a getaway vehicle, has not been apprehended.
Natasha Kara, spokesperson for the NPA in KZN, noted that Mpanza's sentence is below the standard minimum of 15 years imprisonment. "The court imposed an eight-year direct imprisonment sentence, deviating from the minimum due to Mpanza’s age and his guilty plea, which were considered substantial and compelling reasons. Additionally, Mpanza has been declared unfit to possess a firearm."
The NPA hopes that such sentences will deter others from committing similar crimes.
