Five Zimbabweans were arrested in the Bela-Bela township on Thursday, May 5, 2016. Numerous stolen items, as well as three pistols and a rifle were found in their possession.
Capt. Renier Schutte, the investigating officer, and members of the Heritage Protection Group (HPG), have been on the tracks of the suspects since March 2016, after a robbery at Turffontein near Sondela. Schutte told Die Pos, that in cooperation with the HPG members, allegedly foreigners were associated with seven different incidents in the area.
The incidents with which they are connected, include robberies, theft, burglaries and attempted murder.
The alleged robbers are also suspected of a farm attack on Frik Buitendag, a farmer from Bela-Bela. Buitendag was attacked on his farm near Palm Plaza on Sunday, April 10, 2016, and shot.
They are also linked to the attack on Jose de Nobrega, on Sunday, May 1, 2016, on his property near the Little Kariba resort on the R101 road. He was attacked with a panga (machete) and robbed. He survived the attack.
The suspects, Nqobile Nyoni (28), Christopher Mugabe (23), Wilson Monjeza (34), Elvis Musimeki (29) and Jacob Chio (22), have appeared in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday, May 9, 2016.
The case was postponed to Monday, May 16, 2016.
COL. Lindie Marx, station commander of the Bela-Bela police, said in a statement that residents should not open their doors at night when they notice something suspicious, but immediately call the police.
Bela-Bela police can be contact at tel. (014) 736 9760 or tel. 072 839 5587.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
