OR Tambo heist accused made R400k

THE KEMPTON Park Magistrate’s Court heard during the bail application of two men allegedly linked to the OR Tambo International Airport heist that one of the suspects earned R400 000 a month as a “stand exhibitionist”.

Prince Dube, 35, and Thando Sonqishe, 39, are allegedly part of a gang of seven men suspected of being involved in what’s considered one of South Africa’s biggest heists. In Dube’s affidavit, read in court by his attorney Oscar Machevele, he said he believed the State had no objective facts that he committed the robbery.

He said he was traditionally married with two children and lived in Norkem Park, in Kempton Park east of Johannesburg. His job as a “stand exhibitionist” paid him R400 000 a month and he would be able to pay R80 000 for bail.

Earlier, prosecutor Pieter Erasmus told the court that the State was ready to proceed with the bail application and considered the robbery with aggravating circumstances as a schedule six offence. The gang was allegedly in a marked police vehicle and stole R24 million in foreign currency from an SA Airways plane after it landed on March 7.

The defence councils of both men argued that they did not agree with the State charging Dube and Sonqishe with armed robbery as they were not caught with any weapons. Erasmus said the State would only disclose whether they would be charged as the main accused, participants or accessories at a later stage. “Even then, it will be argued that the main perpetrators used firearms.”

The court heard Sonqishe’s affidavit, read by his legal representative, Victory Nkwashe, which stated that he denied being involved in the heist.

He said that he was married with two children and self employed. His business supplied construction vehicles. Sonqishe told the court he earned R30 000 a month and could afford R10 000 bail. He owned a number of vehicles including a Toyota Hilux and 2014 Lamborghini Gallardo valued at R600 000, and lived in Blue Hills, Centurion, in a house worth about R3 million.

Sonqishe dismissed media articles which said he bought his Lamborghini Gallardo with money stolen in the heist, and said he had owned it for the past three years. – ANA