Two accused get 15 years for cop's robbery

Two men have this week been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for robbing a police officer and taking his service pistol three years ago.

Aviwe Siswana and Inganathi Jika, both 24, were arrested following the attack on the officer who was stranded following a car accident. The Mqanduli Regional Court heard that the off-duty police officer was involved in a car accident on the night of June 20 2015 near the town of Mqanduli.

While the injured cop was trying to walk the police station to report the accident, he was accosted by Siswana and Jika. They pointed him with a firearm, which was never recovered, robbed him of his service pistol and fled.

The pistol was only recovered a year later at the home of Siswana’s girlfriend, who became the state witness in accordance with Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. On Tuesday, Siswana was sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, three years for illegal possession of a firearm and three years for illegal possession of ammunition.

The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with the 15-year term. The court sentenced Siswana to an additional 10 years for possession of a semi-automatic firearm, five years of which was suspended. Jika was sentenced to undergo 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances and three years for illegal possession of a firearm. The court ordered the three-year sentence to run concurrently.