MPUMALANGA – Four additional accused were arrested and added as co-accused in cash-in-transit Robbery. Their arrest followed information received by members of Provincial Organised Crime task team regarding a Flying Squad vehicle that was transporting illegal firearms on Thursday, 17 August 2023 at Malelane. Collen Suprian Nonyane (44) (a Highway patrol police Sergeant), Sunday Peace Mashego (39) (a Highway patrol police Sergeant) Sibusiso Musa Vilakazi (38 ), Bhekinkosi Stanley Goddi (39) (Highway patrol police Sergeant) handed himself to the police with his attorney on Friday, 18 August 2023 after he escaped during the arrest of the other suspects. He was charged and added to the list of suspects who were arrested last week.
The four accused were linked to a cash-in-transit robbery which took place in Malelane on 11, August 2023. During their arrest for possession of illegal firearms, one of the firearms was found to have been stolen from Malelane during the cash in transit robbery. The accused are as follows: Mosa Bhekifa Ngwenyama (30), a taxi driver, Ali Obi Ebrahim (24) (Malawian National), a spaza shop cashier and Mfanasibili Lawrence Lubisi (44), the owner of the safe house and also a messenger at the Department of Agriculture.
The seven accused were remanded in custody by the Malelane Periodical Court on Monday, 21 August 2023. The matter was postponed to Wednesday, 23 August 2023 and temporary transferred to Tonga Magistrate’s Court.
The accused were arrested during a multi-disciplinary intelligence driven operation conducted by the team consisting of the Hawks Nelspruit based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Provincial task team, Crime Intelligence National Office, NIU, TRT and private companies on 11 August 2023 at Schoemansdal.
The arrest followed after the armoured vehicle (AV) of Fidelity was traveling from Malelane towards Tonga on 11 August 2023 when the fidelity vehicle was attacked by a group of criminals. Approximately 15 km from the N4, the AV was rammed by a C- class, Mercedes Benz. The driver of the AV lost control and the vehicle overturned. The AV was bombed, and an undisclosed amount of money was stolen. This cash was destined for a business in Tonga. Suspects fled in the direction of Tonga.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Gerber, has conveyed his gratitude towards the multi-disciplinary team tasked with preventing and investigating the cash-in-transit heist. He further appreciated the good working relationship between the police and the community. ‘’We cannot conquer crime alone, we need more information from the community in order for us to be able to arrest and remove the criminals from the community to jail where they belong he said. He further sent out a warning to the crooked cops. “Do your job and serve the community. We will not tolerate corrupt colleagues and we will arrest without fear or favour”.
Content retrieved from: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=47975.
