On August 25, Gilbert Bridger pleaded not guilty to five charges:
1. Robbery with aggravating circumstances.
2. Attempted murder.
3. House break-in with intent to rob.
4. Robbery with aggravating circumstances.
5. Attempted murder.
These charges arose from two separate incidents.
In the first, which took place on December 4, 2016, Bridger assaulted a man, threatened him with a firearm and a bottle and shot at him before forcibly stealing his cellphone and R700 cash.
His violent crime spree continued on March 30, this year, when he broke into a shack in Windmill Park and assaulted an 18-year-old occupant of the house and shot him in the left eye before stealing R800 cash and cigarettes.
Magistrate Suren Harichand sentenced Bridger to 15 years imprisonment on count one, eight years on count two, six years on count three, 15 years on count four and eight years on count five. He ordered that counts two, three and four run concurrently with count one.
Nkosazana Tyeku represented the state.
