KIMBERLEY – The Northern Cape Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Brigadier Nicky Mills welcomed the sentencing handed down to Edmund Sean Bhima (42). The Kimberley Regional Court found Edmund guilty as charged on a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances on Tuesday, 26 July 2022 and sentenced him to 15 years direct imprisonment. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

In October 2019 the accused and his accomplice robbed the local dealership of two Toyota Land Cruisers to the value of R968 800, 00.

On the night of incident the accused and his accomplice accosted the security guard at a gunpoint, tied him up and subsequent to that fled the scene in two Toyota Land Cruisers. The accused was in the company of his accomplice during the commission of crime.  Northern Cape Organised Crime Unit members were immediately activated, where they later tracked the vehicle on the N8 in the direction of Bloemfontein. The team closed in on the accused, found him in possession of one Toyota Land Cruiser, while the other Land Cruiser was found abandoned close to a hotel in Bloemfontein.

The investigation revealed that the suspects were at the dealership earlier the same day, pretending to be interested in purchasing the vehicle, hence they returned later the same day to commit the robbery.

The accused’s accomplice is still on the run.

Brigadier Mills commended the investigating officer, Constable Ndubula for the meticulous investigative work, applauded the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) for putting the accused behind bars.

Source: South African Police Service