The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has praised a team of members who arrested a female suspect, aged 25, following an incident in which a police official was robbed of his service firearm at Shatale near Bushbuckridge.
The robbery occurred on Saturday, 26 March 2022 however, the members recovered the firearm and arrested a suspect on Sunday, 27 March 2022.
Reports indicate that a member of the SAPS, working in Gauteng, was driving home with his female companion on the said Saturday. At around 01:00, the member arrived in Shatale where it is said that he stopped next to a post office. Both occupants alighted from the vehicle whereby two males reportedly emerged, one of them, known to the member, grabbed his service pistol from him and the two suspects fled.
The incident was then reported to the police at Bushbuckridge whereby a robbery case was opened and immediately a team was assembled, consisting of Tshwane Tactical Response Team, Ekurhuleni Tactical Response Team, Provincial Crime Intelligence (from Mpumalanga) as well as Public Order Policing from Sasol.
The investigation in tracing the robbed firearm led the team to a certain house in Shatale Zone One and at about 14:50, they arrived at the place where they found a woman.
The astute members conducted a search thereby recovering one Z88 9mm pistol, and its magazine with three live rounds of ammunition hidden inside a wardrobe. The woman was then arrested and charged for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The preliminary probe by police has since revealed that the firearm recovered, is the one that was robbed from the member.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court facing the said charges. Meanwhile police investigation is still underway in pursue of the two male suspects who reportedly robbed the police officer of his service pistol.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela is further concerned about the incidents where criminals target police officials. “Though the firearm that was robbed from the member was recovered, it remains a worrying factor when such incidents occur to our members. People should know that an attack on an officer of the law, is a direct attack on the State and the law should deal with such offenders accordingly “said the General.
