Four foreign nationals, Paulino Ticha Quembo (33), Nelson Mudavanhu (34), Lawrence Simango (34) appeared before the Middelburg Regional Court while Dennis Spencer Chipenza (35) appeared in absentia on Thursday, 6 April 2023.
The accused were arrested during a tracing operation conducted by the Middelburg based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, Middelburg Detectives as well as Crime Intelligence KwaMhlanga and Middelburg on Wednesday, 5 April 2023 for a murder of police officer, attempted murder and armed robbery.
It is alleged that during the night of 3 April 2023, the accused who are suspected to be dealing in diesel theft entered into one of the mines and pointed the security guards on duty with firearms aa they robbed them of a full diesel tanker and fled the scene.
Intelligence was received from Crime Intelligence, Middleburg regarding the robbery of diesel from a mine near the N4 highway. The member contacted his colleague from Middleburg Detective Services and they patrolled around the Stofberg Road following leads.
Along the road, they came across a yellow tanker matching the description and stopped it.
Three occupants alighted from the truck and started shooting at the officers. In the process, Sergeant Simon Mbonani (43) was shot and later succumbed to his injuries while Sergeant Raphael Sthembiso Magubane (43) sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Three pistols with 25 rounds of ammunition and five cellphones were recovered at the crime scene.
The case was postponed to 13 April 2023 for further investigation and legal representatives.
