The Police in Tonga traced and arrested two suspects, aged 26 and 39, shortly after a business robbery was committed at the post office in Mangweni this morning, Friday 02 February 2024 at around 07:10 am. During the arrest of the two suspects at Naas, in Nkomazi, members of the Police managed to recover a firearm as well as some ammunition and other items. What is even more shocking is that one of the suspects is believed to be working as a paramedic.
According to a report, armed suspects entered the said post office and held the employees at gunpoint. It is further reported that these suspects demanded cash from the employees who were tied up with cable ties. They then allegedly helped themselves with an undisclosed amount of cash from the safe as well as keys (from the post office) before they fled the scene in a VW Golf, leaving behind the employees still tied up and in a helpless situation.
No one was reportedly injured during the incident.
Police were then informed about the incident and they were immediately on high alert in search of these suspects.
A concerned citizen spotted the VW Golf and alerted the Police on its whereabouts. It was during this time when members cornered the two male suspects at Naas in Nkomazi.
Besides the seized firearm with about 10 live rounds of ammunition, the men and women in blue also recovered an undisclosed amount of cash which is suspected to have been stolen during the robbery, uniform for paramedics, some keys, suspected to be from the post office, as well as cable ties suspected to have been part of the items used by the suspects during the robbery incident.
The recovered firearm is said to have been reported stolen at Mayflower during a house burglary in April 2023.
The firearm will be subjected to ballistic testing to determine any linkages to the commission of crime elsewhere. Therefore Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues.
The two suspects are expected to appear at the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court in Tonga on Monday, 05 February 2024, facing a charge of possession of suspected stolen properties, possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition and the two could possibly be charged for the reported business robbery case as well as the house burglary in which a firearm was stolen last year (2023).
Meanwhile the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has praised SAPS members for their swift response which led to the arrest of the suspects as well as recovery of a firearm which was previously stolen. “We are also thankful to members of the public who continuously work hand in gloves with us, by alerting us on the whereabouts of suspects. Working together in this fashion, we can only achieve more,” said the General.
