Moyo trial delayed
2013-03-14 21:32
Johannesburg - The trial of serial escape artist Bongani
Moyo was delayed for a second time in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
on Thursday.
Judge George Webster postponed the trial of Moyo,
Kumbulani Sibanda, Leon Ncube and Thabani Sibanda to 18 March, at the request
of the State.
The four were closely guarded by a large number of
heavily armed policemen and correctional services officials.
The four Zimbabwean citizens are facing 16 charges
relating to a series of armed bank robberies in Gauteng and the North West in
2011.
The charges include one of racketeering, six of robbery
with aggravating circumstances and one of escaping from custody.
The court was earlier told that Moyo and Khumbulani
Sibanda were discussing a possible plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
The four accused escaped from prison in March 2011, a
month before the alleged bank robberies commenced.
Moyo also managed to escape from the Pretoria
Magistrate's Court in August 2011 while he was on crutches.
He was re-arrested three weeks later near the Beitbridge
border post in Limpopo while allegedly re-entering South Africa from Zimbabwe.
He allegedly managed to escape again from the Pretoria
Central prison in 2012.
The State alleges the four accused were part of a gang
which planned and executed a series of armed bank robberies in Pretoria, Rustenburg,
Boksburg and Roodepoort in April and May 2011 which netted them over R260 000.
The State alleges Thabani Sibanda had attempted to murder
policeman Warrant Officer Charles van Niekerk by trying to run him over with a
car when Van Niekerk was trying to arrest him in Hillbrow, Johannesburg in
2011.
Van Niekerk managed to jump away before being hit,
whereupon Sibanda allegedly collided with the police vehicle.
- SAPA
