Tshepang Boikanyo (22), Mosimanegape Malcolm Mokhutswane (33) and Katiso Mothupi (24) appeared before the Wolmaransstad Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 15 September 2021, for business robbery. They were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Wednesday, 22 September 2021.
The trio appeared in court following their apprehension by the Wolmaransstad police on Tuesday, 14 September 2021 after they overpowered a 33-year-old shop owner in his shop at Tswelelang Location. The tuck shop owner was closing his shop, when the suspects grabbed him and held a knife against his neck.
They allegedly ransacked the place and took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene on foot. However, police managed to trace and arrest the suspects shortly after the incident was reported.
In a second unrelated incident in Itsoseng a tuck shop owner in Matile Village was on Tuesday evening, 14 September 2021, allegedly pointed with a firearm by three suspects who robbed him of cash, groceries and cigarettes before they fled the scene on foot.
Through intensive investigations, police managed to identify and apprehend the suspects the following day. A toy gun, suspected to be used during the commission of the crime, was seized.
Sakie Petrus Marumo (27), Tebogo Mosiane (18) and Omphile Ramakatsa (19) appeared before the Itsoseng Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 17 September 2021 and were remanded in custody until Monday, 20 September 2021.
Lastly in another unrelated incident in the policing precinct of Atamelang, four suspects were on Wednesday afternoon, 15 September 2021 arrested after a high speed chase subsequent to an attempted business robbery reported at Khunwana Village.
According to information received, the trio arrived at a shop and one of them fired shots in an attempted to threaten the shop owner who wrestled with the armed suspect and managed to disarm him.
The suspects fled from the scene and jumped into their vehicle, a red Mazda 323, without number plates and sped off. The owner jumped into his vehicle and chased them, whilst contacting the police. Police from Atamelang and Delareyville as well as Provincial Traffic Officers joined the chase and managed to intercept the vehicle in Delareyville and apprehended all four suspects.
The police managed to recover two firearms, one which was flung from the suspects’ vehicle during the chase and another from the shop owner.
Preliminary investigations linked the suspects to another business robbery committed earlier on the same day in Khunwana Village where cigarettes and money were robbed from a grocery store. Investigation into the cases is underway and the police cannot rule out the possibility of linking the accused with more robberies committed in Ottosdal, Wolmaransstad and Klerksdorp.
The accused; Neo Ivan Molatudi (19), Dott Terrance Wily (42), Thabo Walter Mdinginya (19) and Ahmed Jal (37) appeared before the Atamelang Magistrates’ Court on charges of Attempted Business Robbery, Business Robbery and for unlawful possession of a firearm. They were remanded in custody and will re-appear before the same court on Monday, 27 September 2021.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, congratulated all police officers involved in the arrests for their diligence. He pointed out that the police will continue to work hard to ensure that those who break the law are apprehended to face the full might of the Law.
