Man Accused of Armed Robberies Denied Bail; Prior Terrorism Case Noted
November 17 2025
A Durban Backlands labourer has been remanded to prison after being brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on two charges of robbery under arms.
The accused, 20-year-old Antonio Lawrence, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, who informed him that he would not be required to enter a plea due to the indictable nature of the offences.
Court facts presented by the prosecution allege that on November 9, 2025, at Lot 1 Mandela Avenue, Lawrence, in the company of others and reportedly armed with a firearm, robbed Li Xiang of $500,000 in cash.
The court heard further that a second victim, Mikhail Santana, was relieved of his Samsung cellphone on the same date, under similar circumstances.
During the bail hearing, Lawrence’s attorney described him as a labourer with “no antecedents,” arguing that he posed no risk of fleeing and would comply with any reporting conditions set by the court.
The prosecutor disagreed sharply, citing public safety concerns linked to the alleged use of a gun in both robberies.
He stressed the seriousness of the allegations, the value of the stolen items, and the fact that both virtual complainants had identified Lawrence as one of the perpetrators.
With the Christmas season approaching, he urged the court not to release the accused.
After considering the submissions, Magistrate McGusty denied bail.
She noted that the allegations involved the use of a firearm and maintained that the court must take a firm stance where public safety is concerned, particularly during the holiday period.
Lawrence was remanded until December 5, when the case will be called again.
Friday’s appearance is not Lawrence’s first run-in with the legal system.
In May 2025, he was one of sixteen men charged following widespread unrest that broke out in Georgetown after the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge.
Those disturbances—captured on surveillance footage—saw looting, arson, and road blockages across multiple city communities, including Albouystown, Cemetery Road, Hunter Street and Tucville.
In that earlier case, the group faced a mixture of allegations such as terrorism, break and enter, theft, and damage to property.
The men were eventually granted bail by Principal Magistrate McGusty, though the prosecution had strongly opposed their release.
Lawrence, who was then 19, was instructed to return to court in June regarding the terrorism charges; however, the outcome of that hearing remains unclear.
With two fresh allegations of robbery under arms now before the court, Lawrence once again finds himself on remand as investigators continue to probe the matter.
