The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo has praised the vigorous efforts of the SAPS Limpopo Special Task Team which resulted in the arrest of the suspects who are allegedly responsible for the attack on the Malamulele police station on Sunday evening, 21 November 2021 at about 23:00 and several ATM bombings in the Province.
A ruthless group of heavily armed suspects on this night, stormed the Community Service Centre (CSC), robbed the members on duty of their firearms and locked them in the back of a police van.
They then proceeded to take R4 rifles, pump guns, pistols and ammunition from the safe and left the station after locking the gate. The suspects then proceeded to rob the nearby businesses.
A dedicated team of investigators, comprising members derived from the DPCI, Crime Intelligence, Limpopo Tracking Team, Provincial Investigations Unit and other operatives was quickly assembled to track down the robbers.
Ten suspects were arrested on Thursday 19 January 2022, following an intensive investigations conducted by the said team.
Seven of the suspects were found in their hideout at Medinyeng Village near Kgapane under the Bolobedu policing area outside Tzaneen, Mopani District and the other three were arrested at a lodge in the Dwarsloop area outside Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga province.
This after information was received about these suspects intending to commit ATM bombing in Mpumalanga Province.
The preliminary police investigations have positively linked the suspects with several ATM bombings and armed robberies in the province, including the recent incident at a filling station near the Capricorn toll gate along the N1 North under the SAPS Botlokwa policing area, where a police Warrant Officer was shot and wounded in the process.
They were also positively linked with the incident where a police Sergeant attached to Botlokwa police station was robbed of his service pistol, R5 rifle and bulletproof vest.
The team managed to recover a total of eleven firearms, ammunition and explosives. Some of the firearms were robbed during the attack on Malamulele police station.
The following items were recovered:
Four R5 rifles
Four Shotgun rifles
Three 9mm pistols
Ammunition, police bullet proof vests, explosives, illicit cigarettes, blasting cartridges, overalls, balaclavas, security uniform, cash amount of money and shoes.
Two motor vehicles, a Toyota bakkie and Mercedes Benz which were reportedly used to commit these crimes were also seized. Police investigations have already begun to circulate them to determine whether they are stolen or not.
The suspects, aged between 30 and 48 will appear in different Magistrates’ Courts across the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of explosives, conspiracy to commit crimes, attempted murders, robbery with aggravated circumstances, car-jackings and attack on police station.
“The meticulous investigations and tireless efforts of these members are highly commendable. I am ecstatic that the suspects who are allegedly responsible for the attack on our members, undermining the authority of the state and subsequently tormenting our communities, will finally face the full might of the law. We will also ensure that all the remaining suspects are apprehended and firearms recovered”, concluded General Thembi Hadebe.
Police investigation continues.
