Four men accused of carrying out an armed jewellery store robbery at Fountains Mall in Jeffreys Bay are due back in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape for a formal bail hearing.
Bongani Radebe, Siphele Sithole, Ayanda Mbangaza and Mfana Fikile Mnyaka were arrested shortly after the robbery at Gabriel’s Jewellery Shop earlier this month.
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Three of the accused are from Umlazi in Durban, while Mnyaka is from Ocean View in Jeffreys Bay.
The four face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Fountains Mall Jewellery Robbery Left Staff And Customers On The Floor
Police said two armed suspects entered the jewellery store during the robbery and threatened staff and customers before ordering them to lie on the floor.
More suspects then entered the shop and smashed display cabinets, making off with a large quantity of jewellery.
Despite the presence of firearms during the robbery, no shots were fired and nobody was injured.
Police later identified the vehicle allegedly used in the getaway through CCTV footage and information circulated among local security networks.
Four Suspects Arrested On N2 After Jeffreys Bay Heist
Members of the Gqeberha Flying Squad subsequently spotted and intercepted a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car on the N2 between Jeffreys Bay and Gqeberha.
The operation resulted in the arrest of the four men, who were taken into custody following the robbery.
They made their first appearance in court last week, where they were formally charged in connection with the Fountains Mall jewellery store robbery.
The court was told that the accused would be represented by Legal Aid after indicating that they could not afford private legal representation.
Accused Have Previous Convictions, Court Hears
During the proceedings, the court also heard that the four accused have previous convictions.
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The convictions are linked to offences including theft, drug-related crimes and assault.
The formal bail application is expected to determine whether the accused will be released while the case against them proceeds.
