Man on parole in court for mugging

BARELY a week after being released from jail for being found guilty of robbery, a 25-year-old man was arrested again, this time for being involved in a mugging.

The man, who appeared in court yesterday, had been released on parole last week after three months in jail. Five days into his newfound freedom he and three others allegedly attacked a man in Sunnyside, Pretoria, robbing him of his cash and jacket, and possibly an iPhone.

Police said the man had been released from a sixmonth jail sentence and was on parole until October.

He had been jailed for a robbery in Sunnyside in August last year, after being found in possession of a Blackberry cellphone, car keys and bank cards stolen from the person who claimed to be the rightful owner of the items.

“The suspect was caught red-handed during the early hours of Sunday after police found three men attacking a victim near the corner of Francis Baard and Wessels streets,” said police spokesperson Captain Daniel Mavimbela.

“The other two suspects managed to escape,” he said, adding that it would appear they ran off with the victim’s iPhone.

But the victim’s money and jacket were recovered from the suspect.

When he appeared in court yesterday, he faced charges of robbery, and remained in police custody as his case was postponed to Monday.

Said Mavimbela: “In our view, people should be free and still be safe, our duty is to ensure criminals are removed from the public.”

He appealed to the public to be careful when walking alone, but said criminals should not hold them prisoner in their own city.

“Our plea is for people to be curious, avoid dark and isolated areas. But most importantly our duty is to make people feel safe,” he said.

Mavimbela said he had noticed that repeat offenders were few, and parolees were part of that group. “What I have noticed is that criminals have a particular way of doing things.”

He warned people who thought they could commit crimes in Sunnyside. “We will not sit back as the police, as criminals think they will turn Sunnyside into their happy hunting ground.”