A man who tried to make a quick buck by extorting money from a Gqeberha spaza shop owner soon thereafter found himself in court, confessing to his crimes.
Olow Mohad Adam, 40, was handed a suspended sentence in the city's regional court on Tuesday.
He admitted to having pulled a gun on the owner of a spaza shop in the Grogro informal settlement earlier this year, demanding protection fees.
According to his plea, Adam, a Somalian national, has lived in SA for the past 14 years and resides in Korsten.
On April 4 he went to Grogro, off Kragga Kamma Road, and visited the shop of Musa Mohamed.
There, Adam pulled out a firearm and threatened to kill Mohamed if he was not paid a protection fee of R500.
However, the shop owner refused and Adam left the store empty-handed.
Afterwards, Mohamed went to the Kabega Park police station to report the incident and Adam was subsequently arrested.
“I did not have any valid or lawful reason to demand R500 protection fees from the complainant. I knew my actions were unlawful and wrong. I am accordingly pleading guilty to the charge against me,” Adam stated in his plea read to the court.
He was accordingly sentenced to five years' imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years.
HeraldLIVE
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