Cops & Robbers: Police May Have to Pay R100m Back After CIT Heist
- R100 million is being claimed by insurers from Police Minister Bheki Cele after a cash-in-transit heist occurred in Witbank in 2014
- After the incident, 13 suspects were arrested and convicted for 20 years in jail but the insurer who paid the money back to SBV is claiming funds
- The insurer wants the funds returned due to the fact that two police officers had been involved in the heist and arrested
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Reports have revealed that over R100 million is being claimed by insurers from Police Minister Bheki Cele's force in a sequel to a cash-in-transit heist in Witbank back in 2014. Two police officers were allegedly part of a gang that executed a R104.4 million heist at SBV Services.
In 2018, 13 suspects were jailed for a whopping 20 years. The SBV's policy was paid out by Lloyd's of London but now the company wants the Police Minister to refund it. Lloyd's of London stated that Detective-Constavly Lekele Reckon Lekola and Warrant Officer Tamsanqua Gladstone Khubeka had failed their legal duties to prevent the robbery.
According to a Supreme Court of Appeal Judgement, the Police Minister was left 'vicariously liable for the losses incurred'.
Source: Getty Images
Court
A report by TimesLIVE revealed that Cele appealed to five judges on the bench in Bloemfontein that he wanted to change his plea after the Pretoria High Court ruled against him. The proposed new arguments by Cele was that no legal action can arise from an illegal act.
In this instance, the minister was talking about the robbery. He added that when parties are all at fault the position of the defendant is increasingly compelling.
SBV and Lloyd's of London
BusinessInsider reported that shortly before the case was to be heard, the state attempted to bring forth a new argument in defence. The argument was that the SBV had been party to the incident because a security compliance officer from the company had conspired with the 12 other suspects.
The minister stated that the insider involvement precluded Lloyd's of London's case which claimed on SBV's behalf.
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Previously, Briefly News reported that 10 alleged cash-in-transit robbers were apprehended just hours after a cash crime in Mooinooi, North West.
A quick response from Mooinooi police resulted in the arrest of 10 people and the discovery of 12 weapons, ammunition, marked cash and four vehicles, according to police spokesman Col Brenda Muridili.
She added the suspects are facing charges of aggravated robbery, hijacking, possession of explosives and possession of suspected stolen cash, as well as possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. They will appear in the Brits magistrate's court within 48 hours of their arrest, according to SowetanLIVE.
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Source: Briefly News
