Suspects arrested after robbery and attack on police members in Limpopo

26 June 2020 - 08:15 By ERNEST MABUZA
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Police have arrested four suspects believed to be part of a group responsible for an attack on police members and a business robbery on Sunday evening in Apel in Limpopo. File photo.
Police have arrested four suspects believed to be part of a group responsible for an attack on police members and a business robbery on Sunday evening in Apel in Limpopo. File photo.
Image: belchonock/123rf.com

Police have arrested four suspects believed to be part of a group responsible for an attack on police members and a business robbery in Apel in Limpopo on Sunday evening.

The Limpopo police implemented a 72-hour activation plan immediately after the attack on four police members who were on patrol at the Apel shopping centre in two vehicles.

The members were attacked by heavily armed suspects who had just robbed a filling station.

Three police members were wounded and robbed of four firearms and the suspects also made off with an undisclosed amount of cash which they had stolen from the filling station.

A few hours after the incident, police went to Mohlaletse Village where they initially arrested two suspects and recovered three vehicles.

On Thursday, police apprehended two more suspects at their hideout in Moroke Village in the Mecklenburg policing precinct.

During the arrest, the police also recovered three of the firearms which were taken from the officers during the robbery.

The preliminary investigation revealed that those arrested on Thursday, aged 24 and 28, are wanted in connection with several business robberies in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

They will be joining their accomplices, Thulani Maseko, 25, and Moses Zulu, 36, who are in custody awaiting their formal bail application scheduled for next Thursday.

Maseko and Zulu have been charged with four counts of attempted murder, robbery of firearms, business robbery and four counts of malicious injury to property.

The two other suspects will make their first appearance in court within 48 hours to face the same charges as Maseko and Zulu, including an additional charge of contravening the Immigration Act.

The investigating team is expecting to make more arrests soon.

National Police Commissioner Gen Khehla Sitole has commended the team for working around the clock to ensure that the people responsible for the attack and robbery were traced and apprehended.

“I am glad that four of the people allegedly responsible for undermining the authority of the state are facing the full might of the law.

“Investigators will be opposing bail in court and they must also not rest until they recover the remaining firearm”, Sitole said.


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