The Worcester Regional Court sentenced Xolani Mthethwa to an effective 20 years’ direct imprisonment after convicting him on two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, including the stabbing of a 15-year-old boy.
The court heard that on 28 March 2022, the teenager had been walking home with his younger siblings in Mtwazi Street, Zwelethemba, when they encountered a group of five to six men. Mthethwa stabbed the boy in the stomach before robbing him of his cellphone. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital. His younger brother later identified the accused during a photo identification parade.
Four months later, on 2 July 2022, Mthethwa robbed his cousin of her cellphone after she told him she did not have money to give him. He was arrested soon afterwards, as police had already been searching for him in connection with the earlier attack.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said measures had been taken to protect the minor during the proceedings.
“The evidence of the minor witness was presented through a closed-circuit television system, with the assistance of an intermediary, to prevent secondary trauma,” he said.
Ntabazalila said the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence.
“The sentences were ordered to run consecutively, resulting in an effective 20-year term of imprisonment,” he added.
The NPA said the victims were not being named because one was a minor and there were fears of reprisals
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