Johannesburg Woman Fights Off 3 Armed Robbers Using Jiu-Jitsu, Keeps One's Phone

Johannesburg Woman Fights Off 3 Armed Robbers Using Jiu-Jitsu, Keeps One's Phone

  • Sherri-Lynn Wallis refused to hand over her phone when three men attempted to rob her in Johannesburg
  • The South African woman used Jiu-Jitsu training to confront each of the three attackers individually
  • Wallis shared a detailed account of the incident in a Facebook post on 11 November, addressing each robber directly

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A Johannesburg woman turned the tables on three would-be robbers by drawing on her Jiu-Jitsu training, walking away from the confrontation with one of their phones in hand.

Sherri-Lynn Wallis, Johannesburg
Sherri-Lynn Wallis refused to hand over her phone when three men attempted to rob her in Johannesburg. Credit: Sherri-Lynn Wallis
Source: Facebook

Sherri-Lynn Wallis described the incident in a Facebook post on 11 November, recounting how muscle memory guided her responses in the heat of the moment rather than conscious decision-making.

Rather than surrendering her belongings, she engaged each attacker in turn.

The first man lost his phone during the struggle and, Wallis suspected, possibly a tooth as well. The second underestimated her and received a head strike and a kick to the shin for his trouble.

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The third appeared to read the situation more clearly than his companions and fled before the encounter could escalate further. His footwear choice, flip-flops, did not go unnoticed in Wallis's retelling.

Wallis said the phone she recovered from the first robber would be turned over to police for handling.

Her account was written with a lightness of tone that contrasted with the severity of what had unfolded, and that combination of composure and dry humour drew considerable attention after the post circulated online.

Wallis credited her martial arts background specifically for how she was able to respond. Without having to pause and think through each movement, her training kicked in automatically, allowing her to act decisively under pressure.

Under South African law, her response falls within the bounds of self-defence. According to C&A Friedlander Attorneys, self-defence is lawful when an individual uses force that is necessary and reasonably proportionate to repel an imminent, unlawful attack against their person or property.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Delali Adogla-Bessa avatar

Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.