The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the arrest of two suspects aged 36 and 35, for business robbery and theft of firearms, in Witbank on Sunday, 15 May 2022.
According to the information, on the said day three suspects entered a business premises and held the employees at gunpoint, ordered all into a storeroom. Fortunately, one the employees managed to press the panic button.
A security member who responded first to the scene was reportedly overpowered by the suspects.
Other members responded whereby a shootout ensued between the guards and the suspects.
Two suspects were arrested and amongst them one was wounded. The third suspect fled the scene and managed to evade arrest. A security officer also sustained some injuries during the incident however, he received medical treatment for his injuries.
Police at Witbank were informed about the incident and on their arrival at the scene, the two were arrested.
Two firearms were also seized from their possession at the scene. The police are still pursuing the suspect who got away and the preliminary investigation by the police thus far has revealed that the two firearms were reportedly robbed from security guards in two separate incidents few weeks ago.
The suspects are faced with charges relating to the said business robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition. The suspects could be linked to several cases, including a case of hijacking in which a VW Polo was forcefully taken at a certain fuel station in April 2021 in Witbank, a case of robbery with a firearm which was carried out at Mamelodi in May 2020.
Whilst the injured suspect receives medical treatment, his accomplice appeared in the Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Monday 16 May 2022, where he was remanded in custody and the case was postponed to 23 May 2022 for further investigation.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has appreciated the work done by the security officials working together with the Police as they swiftly responded which culminated in the arrest of the two suspects.
