In a recent verdict handed down by the Western Cape High Court, Ndyebo Dotwana, one of four men involved in the fatal robbery of Cape Town jeweller Charl Munnick, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
The charges are related to the January 2021 armed robbery at Munnick Jewellers in Worcester, during which the store’s owner was killed.
Details of the Crime
On 29 January 2021, Dotwana and three accomplices—Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Lonzi, and Awonke Ziqu—robbed Munnick Jewellers. According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, the robbery was meticulously planned, with Mase posed as a customer to gain access to the store. Once inside, he brandished a firearm, threatening the staff and the jeweller’s mother, Esme Munnick, who was also present.
Lonzi soon joined Mase in the store, and the two began wielding firearms, threatening everyone inside. During the chaos, Charl Munnick, who had been resting in a room above the store, was alerted to the commotion. Armed with his firearm, Munnick confronted the robbers, resulting in a shootout. During the exchange, Lonzi fatally shot Munnick in the head before stealing his firearm.
The robbers then fled the scene in a blue sedan with stolen goods, including a firearm, a cell phone, and R60,000 in cash. The vehicle, later traced back to Dotwana, was identified through CCTV footage and witness testimony.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Dotwana opted to challenge the charges, unlike his co-accused Mase, Lonzi, and Ziqu, who pleaded guilty and each received a 25-year prison sentence. However, the court found Dotwana guilty of murder and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, leading to his 45-year sentence. The sentence was influenced by the severity of the crime and the loss of life.
A key piece of evidence in Dotwana’s conviction was the testimony of a witness, who revealed that Dotwana had borrowed his vehicle the day before the robbery. The witness later observed suspicious activities, such as the changing of number plates on the vehicle and the presence of unknown men at Dotwana’s property. This testimony, along with other evidence, played a significant role in securing Dotwana’s conviction.
