PORT ELIZABETH – Two armed robbery criminals were sent to prison after being sentenced for robbing a 30-year-woman on Christmas day in 2017.

On 25 December 2017 at 05:15 the complainant was standing at a bus stop at Khalendula Street, NU 12, Motherwell when the two accused approached her and robbed her of her cellphone (valued at over R4000). Ayanda Skhoboyi (24) produced a firearm and his accomplice Masixole Dyantyi (22) brandished a knife. She screamed and her husband came to her rescue. He chased accused Skhoboyi with his car and when the accused pointed him with the firearm he knocked him. Skhoboyi was trapped under the car. A police official from Motherwell was on his way to work when he stopped and assisted the couple. Skhoboyi was arrested and a 9mm firearm was seized (serial number filed off). The second accused, Dyantyi was later arrested and the stolen cellphone was recovered.

The pair appeared in court and they were subsequently released on bail. On Thursday, 25 July 2019 they were sentenced by the Motherwell Regional court. Skhoboyi was sentenced to an effective 14 years imprisonment for armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm while Dyantyi was sentenced to 8 years in prison for armed robbery.

The Motherwell Cluster Commander, Major General Dawie Rabie commended the investigating and arresting officers as well as the husband of the complainant. ‘The punishment meted out to these criminals is fitting and just as they targeted a vulnerable and helpless woman. Had it not be for the quick reaction of her husband these accused would have got away with their crime and would have continued with their criminal activities,’ added Maj Gen Rabie.

Source: South African Police Service