Jewellery store killer gets 25 years behind bars

The last accused of a group of men charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances of Munnick Jewellers in Worcester and the murder of co-owner, Charl Munnick, has been sentenced to an effective 25-year direct imprisonment.

The court convicted Ndyebo Dotwana on two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder this week.

NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Dotwana was sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment on the two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and 25 years’ direct imprisonment for murder.

The court ordered the sentences should run concurrently and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

Dotwana was charged with co-accused Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Lonzi and Awonke Ziqu for the robbery of Munnick Jewellers on January 29, 2021.

Lonzi and Dotwana were charged with two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of illegal possession of firearms, and two counts of illegal possession of ammunition and murder.

Mase and Ziqu were charged with similar counts and additional counts of illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.

This month, Mase, Lonzi, and Ziqu pleaded guilty in terms of Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act after senior State advocate John Reyneveld tabled evidence against them, including video footage which showed them coming out of the store following the robbery, Ntabazalila said.

The three were each sentenced to 25 years’ direct imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Dotwana opted to challenge the State’s case against him and his trial resumed on August 15. He was convicted and sentenced this week.

“In his case, advocate Reyneveld argued that the three Khayelitsha-residing accused, Lonzi, Mase and Ziqu, travelled to Worcester to rob the store owned by the deceased and his mother, Esme Munnick.

“(In the store) Mase took out a firearm and started threatening other employees and the deceased’s mother.

Lonzi joined him and they both started wielding firearms, threatening all who were inside. At the time, Charl Munnick was asleep in a room on top of the store.”

The men robbed the deceased’s mother of her cellphone and assaulted her when she shouted to alert her son.

“Charl Munnick rushed down to the store armed with his licensed firearm. A shooting ensued between him and the robbers.

“Lonzi shot him in the head and took his firearm. The robbery was captured on CCTV and the four robbers were seen coming out of the store and got into a blue sedan parked in front of the store,” Ntabazalila said.

Cape Times