'Heist-gang 20' walk free
2008-01-23 22:57
East London - About 20 men suspected of being part of a national cash heist gang have walked free after Mdantsane Regional Court in the Eastern Cape struck the case from the roll, the SABC reported on Wednesday.
The case has been postponed on many occasions because the State has not been ready to present some evidence.
Each suspect was facing 10 charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit robbery at West Bank Coin Security almost a year ago.
The men were arrested last February at a disused Fort Jackson factory, allegedly in possession of an arsenal of firearms and ammunition, stolen vehicles, police blue flashing lights and bullet-proof vests.
They allegedly also had blueprints of a cash-holding company's premises in East London, said the SABC.
Police believed they had thwarted a gang that specialised in cash-in-transit heists and other armed robberies.
They were confident of convictions, but after several postponements and nearly a year later, the magistrate struck the case off the roll when DNA evidence had still not been processed by the police laboratory.
Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions Lungi Mahlathi said the State hoped to get the DNA evidence and re-arrest the men.
- SAPA