The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma praised members from Lothair, Chrissiesmeer and the Tactical Response Team (TRT) for their relentless efforts in recovering a total of 10 firearms and arrest of nine men in two incidences within the province.
In the first instance which took place on 18 July 2019, a joint operation of members from Lothair and Chrissiesmeer Police Stations recovered seven firearms, a flat screen TV and a cellphone which were stolen from a farm during March this year and arrested suspects in the process.
Information at police disposal suggested that the firearms, all rifles, had been stolen during a housebreaking incident that took place on a farm at Lothair on the evening of 29 March 2019, together with the mentioned flat screen TV and cellphone.
Police, who have been following information ever since, made a breakthrough when one suspect believed to have been part of the housebreaking and theft was arrested and five rifles recovered. The suspect, 35 year old Thabo Nkosi appeared at the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on 19 July 2019, where he was remanded in custody pending bail application and will return to the same court on 26 July 2019.
The other two suspects aged between 27 and 26, were arrested on 19 July 2019, and are expected to appear on Monday, 22 July 2019, at the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court.
Further investigation led police to another two men who were found in possession of two of the firearms and were therefore arrested as well. The suspects appeared in court also facing possession of firearms without license as well as possession of suspected stolen property.
During the appearance, 73 year old Moses Elmon Nkosi was granted a R500 bail and the case postponed to 29 August 2019, for further investigation, whilst 50 year old Jeremiah Gunda Maseko, was remanded in custody pending bail application on 22 July 2019.
Meanwhile, on the second instance which took place on 19 July 2019, an intelligence driven operation in Bushbuckridge led to the arrest of four suspects who were found in possession of three firearms and ammunition without license. The arrests were realised after TRT members waylaid the suspects who were reportedly going to commit a business robbery in one of the shops around the area.
The members spotted and identified a vehicle which was described to them as it drove by and tactically stopped it, in the process discovering the three handguns and arresting the four suspects aged between 30 and 40. The suspects are expected to appear at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on 22 July 2019, facing charges of possession of firearms and ammunition without license.
General Zuma praised the members for ensuring that our communities are free from deadly firearms as well as bringing the perpetrators to justice.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
