Six convicted of R100m airport heist

2012-07-11 19:30

Court (Shuttertstock)

Johannesburg -Six men were convicted on Wednesday of the R100m heist at OR Tambo International Airport in 2006, Eyewitness News reported.

Judge Nico Coetzee found Fox Sithole, Eddie Ubisi and Bongani Ronny Mbuyisa guilty of attempted robbery, according to the radio station.

Ananias Nefumembe and Thokozani Ziqubu were convicted of robbery and Uakareraije Maunda was found guilty of being an accessory.

Eyewitness News reported that Cecil Arendse was acquitted of all charges. Another four accused had died since the heist.

The alleged mastermind of the heist, Christopher Billings, was arrested on Wednesday when he failed to arrive in court for the judgment.

His mother told the court he was stuck in a roadblock. A warrant of arrest was issued, leading to his arrest.

There were 50 postponements in the six-year trial.

In March 2006, gunmen held up guards at the airport gates while others armed with AK-47 assault rifles held up guards and police at an SA Airways aircraft and helped themselves to bags of currency flown in from Britain.

Other members of the gang held up guards at one of the gates. All of the men fled, no shots were fired and no one was injured.

- SAPA