Two men have been sentenced to 15 years’ each in prison by the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.

Their crimes, committed on October 7, 2022, include pointing a gun at, robbing, and kidnapping an e-hailing driver at the conclusion of a requested trip.

The perpetrators, Victor Junior Sebata, 35, and Kagiso Patrick Mthimunye, 31, both from Mamelodi, approached the e-hailing driver at the end of a requested trip from the Propaganda Club in Pretoria Central to Silverton.

Sebata and Mthimunye pointed a gun at the 34-year-old, unnamed driver, robbed him of his belongings, and forced him into the boot of his vehicle. 

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the duo drove with the driver to Mamelodi, where they removed him from the boot, tied him up, and transferred him into another vehicle.

They drove him to Bapsfontein, where they abandoned him in a bush. 

“The driver was able to untie his feet, walked towards the road, and came across a police vehicle that took him to a police station in the nearby area,” Mahanjana explained. 

The following day, Sebata and Mthimunye were apprehended by a security company, Akasia, after receiving an alert from a vehicle tracking company about the stolen car. During the trial, both accused pleaded not guilty, claiming they were asked by an unnamed individual to deliver the vehicle to someone else.

However, Prosecutor Hanlie du Preez, who successfully opposed bail for the duo, argued that they were faced with a serious offence and showed no remorse for the e-hailing driver. 

While Sebata and Mthimunye pleaded for a lenient sentence, stating that they had been incarcerated for three years, Du Preez said their actions caused the driver significant trauma. 

“The victim was unable to return to work as an e-hailing driver for an extended period,” the prosecutor argued. 

She urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, as there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify such deviation. 

Magistrate Piet Nel found no compelling circumstances to deviate from minimum sentences.

“While the victim did not sustain serious physical injuries and managed to recover his vehicle, it does not take away from the fact that robbery is a violent and serious crime. Society expects the court to send a message that such offences will not be tolerated and that offenders must be removed from communities to ensure public safety,” Magistrate Nel said.

The magistrate further noted that the duo showed no remorse for their actions.  Additionally, he declared the duo unfit to possess firearms. 

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen van Vuuren, welcomed the court ruling and commended Du Preez, stating: “This case highlights the dedicated efforts of law enforcement and prosecutorial teams in holding violent offenders accountable.”

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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