Two Zimbabweans, Alfred Ndlovu and Clement Ncube have been sentenced for 15 years in prison for the brazen robbery captured and broadcast live on-air on the SABC of the SABC contributor Vuyo Mvoko and the rest of the SABC news crew in March 2015.
The foreigners were sentenced to 15 years behind bars each by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court today after they pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravated circumstances two months ago.
The Zimbabwean duo robbed four cellphones, a laptop, a wristwatch and R70 as Vuyo Mvoko was reporting from a highway overlooking the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg.
The other two accused Pascal Manuel Junior and Motin Mortin who bought the stolen goods and who pleaded not guilty in March, will be tried separately.
The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson, Phindi Louw says "I can confirm that both accused were each sentenced to 15 years today at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. They will begin their sentences immediately. There was overwhelming evidence against these two and that is why they had pleaded guilty".
The SABC News reporter Chriselda Lewis who was part of the crew who got mugged in the terrifying incident, said she was glad about the sentence and remembered how scared she was.
"Thanks to the South African Police Service for working tirelessly to ensure those thugs are behind bars. 15 years in jail. Do it for other victims too. I almost feel sorry for them but think how I almost threw myself off the bridge to escape. Society doesn't deserve that rot, Chriselda Lewis said on Twitter.
