[imagesource:fbi]

A pair of bank robbers, dubbed SA’s own Bonnie and Clyde, have been found guilty, along with three others, eight years after their arrest.

Former bank manager Carmen Kolbee was the mastermind behind the brazen robbery at her workplace with the help of her ex-husband, Kensley, and three others, namely Ebrahim Isaacs, Samoska Hattes and Leroy Ackerman.

Carmen was the branch manager at Standard Bank in Kuils River and a team leader at Zevenwacht Mall at the time of her arrest in 2016. She was arrested along with her estranged hubby, who had recruited their three accomplices.

At the time of the robbery, they were divorced but were living together in Blackheath, 25 kilometres east of the city centre.

IOL reported that the State proved that Kolbee had been the mastermind behind the heist in November 2014. It was revealed that she had initially planned to steal R3 million from the bank’s Kuils River branch, but only managed to get away with R520,000.

Image: Facebook

The trio of accomplices entered a plea and sentence agreement soon after being charged and were sentenced to five years in jail.

Although Carmen and Kensley pleaded not guilty, they were found guilty and convicted of robbery in the Blue Downs Regional Court last week. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila confirmed the conviction and said the duo would be sentenced in August.

“Accused 1 (Carmen Kolbee) provided all the inside information relating to the processes within the bank and accused 2 (Kensley Kolbee) enlisted the help of three persons to execute the robbery.”

It seems the ex-couple had managed to pull the wool over their loved one’s eyes as a family member, who asked not to be named, said they were shocked at the sentencing as they were not even aware that the matter had been on the court roll.

The relative did express hope that the years that Carmen and Kensley were awaiting trial or on trial “will be taken into consideration when they are sentenced”.

[source:iol]