THE old Shoprite in Mtubatuba fell victim to an armed robbery last week which Mtubatuba SAPS has confirmed was an inside job.
A large, undisclosed sum of money was stolen during the robbery on 2 March, of which R73 000 has since been recovered from different suspects in a variety of locations, including an abandoned vehicle near the Mfolozi N2 exit and at a residence in eSikhaleni.
Ten people were involved in the robbery, including Thabisile Gumbi who worked in the cash office at Shoprite for the past four years.
The remaining nine were from the Mtubatuba area. Lieutenant Mpontshane, Communications Officer at Mtubatuba SAPS, said Gumbi notified her nine accomplices that on the first Sunday of the month a large amount of money would be in the shop’s safe.
He said their robbery attempt on 1 March failed owing to a large police presence outside the shop.
The gang then succeeded in carrying out the robbery the following morning, between 7.30 and 8am.
To date, seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the robbery and all appeared at the Mtubatuba Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
As well as Gumbi (32), Bongani Thabani Dube (36), Henry Mbonambi (41), Mhlomishwa Mkhize (34), Musawenkosi Mnguni (35), Mjabuliseni Sibiya (37) and Ncenga Mfundo Cele (33) have been arrested.
The case was postponed until 4 April for further investigations. @TamlynJolly
