The Volksblad newspaper reported on Tuesday that Captain Anna Phorotlho, 42, was arrested in connection with several robberies at foreign-owned shops in the Wrenchville area last year.

She was allegedly identified by the robbers as the one who transported them to the shops and apparently also supplied them with a firearm for a robbery on 3 January 2012.

The report said four alleged robbers were caught by residents and assaulted after a robbery at a shop in Khankhudung at the time.

One of the men later died in hospital due to his injuries.

The newspaper said police seized a firearm, belonging to the state, air time vouchers and an unknown amount of cash from the robbers last year.

On Monday, Phorotlho was quietly cuffed by Kimberley police, after her rights were read to her, and she was led away in almost total silence, the report said.