Sunday Times E-Edition

Phala Phala inquiry judge in driveway armed heist

By THANDUXOLO JIKA pictured,

● Two men who allegedly robbed former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, of his Rolex watch, worth R150,000, are free on bail and will appear in court again next year.

Ngcobo was accosted by two armed men at his home in the exclusive Johannesburg suburb of Sandhurst on September 9.

On September 14 he was announced as chair of the section 89 panel of legal experts tasked with determining whether President Cyril Ramaphosa had a case to answer over the burglary at his game farm.

According to the statement Ngcobo deposed to the police, he was driving his Mercedes-Benz S350 from Sandton City to his home. He was followed by a silver Toyota but suspected nothing untoward.

“He got to his place and opened the gate and drove into the garage and then he heard a big bang from the back of his vehicle,” the police statement reads.

“As he reversed his car, he was approached by two unknown males, one from the driver’s side and one from the passenger’s side. The one on the driver’s side had a silver pistol and he smashed the window and dragged him out of the car.”

The men robbed Ngcobo of his watch — a “silver and gold … Rolex which is blue inside” — valued at R150,000.

Ngcobo’s right eye was cut. He gave police the Toyota’s numberplate details.

This week, Ngcobo declined to elaborate on the incident.

“I have made a statement to the police and I am over that because they are handling it. I am not sure but they have said one suspect was arrested,” he said.

The Sunday Times contacted the owner of the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery. The man, who lives in Nqutu, KwaZulu-Natal, said the car was being used by his niece in Johannesburg.

He said he had not heard anything from the police.

“I am not aware of the incident. The police have never called me.

“The car has never been stolen. I do not have any explanation. Nothing happened to the car,” said the owner.

Police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo would not explain why the owner of the vehicle had not been contacted by police.

He would only confirm that suspects had been arrested and that they were out on bail.

“Police can confirm that a case of robbery with a firearm was opened at Bramley police station. Two suspects have since been arrested and appeared before Alexandra magistrate’s court. Both suspects are out on bail and their next court appearance is on February 14 2023,” he said.

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2022-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

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