A 29-year-old man accused of robbing a couple of their casino winnings has made his first court appearance.
Siphosethu Ndovela allegedly accosted a Pinetown couple shortly after they left a casino in the vicinity of the Umdloti area.
According to KwaZulu-Natal police, the couple, aged 50 and 59, had been gambling at the casino with their 58-year-old friend.
After gambling, the 50-year-old husband decided to cash out his winnings.
“The trio left the casino around 11 pm in two vehicles, a BMW X3 and a Ford Ranger, and when they arrived at their residence on Bartlett Road in Pinetown, they were allegedly accosted by two suspects who robbed them of the money and the woman’s handbag at gunpoint,” said KZN police spokesperson Robert Netshuinda.
Police said SAPS Flying Squad officers were conducting routine patrols when they unknowingly drove alongside the suspects’ getaway vehicle as the robbery was taking place. The officers came under gunfire but managed to take cover and escaped unharmed.
Netshuinda said the suspects fled the scene.
“The getaway vehicle, a white Toyota Yaris fitted with false registration plates, was spotted leaving the crime scene.
“Police investigations uncovered that there was a second vehicle, a white VW Polo, owned by Ndovela, which was also used in the commission of the crime.”
Ndovela was arrested on October 19, 2026, and appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court two days later.
His bail application is scheduled to be heard on October 27.
Police are searching for the second suspect, whose identity is known to investigators, Netshuinda said.
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