Heist case verdict imminent

JUDGE Glen Goosen is in the process of reading through his marathon judgment in the trial of six men accused of orchestrating the planned theft of liquid platinum worth millions of rands in Deal Party, Port Elizabeth, in 2011.

The conclusion of his 150-page judgment is expected in the Port Elizabeth High Court today.

Unathi Wana, 33, Mlungisi Ntsume, 37, Madoda Nube, 38, Luyanda Njokweni, 37, Xolani Nanto, 37, and Vukile Ngcangisa, 50, are charged with murder, theft, robbery and possession of firearms and ammunition.

The murder charges relate to six people who were killed during a shootout with the police on November 8 2011 in Stephenson Road, Deal Party. The court heard that police from Mthatha's National Intervention Unit were deployed to Port Elizabeth prior to the heist to infiltrate the syndicate involved in planning the theft of the liquid platinum. – Lee-Anne Butler