Men nabbed for burglaries at government offices remain in custody

The two men nabbed for some of the high-profile burglaries that recently hit government offices will be remanded in custody for a month before their trial begins.

Moses Mtakiso‚ 39‚ and Moses Magolego‚ 40‚ both of Winterveldt‚ north of Pretoria‚ made a brief appearance at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday. This was their second appearance before Magistrate N Lugaju since their arrest.

Lugaju transferred the pair to a courtroom in which their trial would be heard. Once there‚ in a courtroom‚ presided over by Magistrate Kiru Pillay‚ Mtakiso and Magolego learnt the state was not ready to proceed.

Prosecutor Mathews Monyae asked Pillay to postpone the case to September 21. He said the state needed to conduct further investigations.

Monyae previously told Lugaju the state could bring more charges against the accused.

Pillay granted the postponement to September 21‚ and ordered Mtakiso and Magolego to be returned to custody.

The pair previously told Lugaju they wanted the case fast tracked and would not bring bail applications. “I plead guilty to all the charges. I don't want to waste [the court's] time‚” Mtakiso said last week.

Magolego also told the court he intended to plead guilty and have the matter heard speedily.

They were arrested following burglaries in key government buildings. Computers storing sensitive data were stolen in many of these break-ins.

The charge sheet deposed to court by the state showed Mtakiso faced eight break-in and business robbery charges.

Magolego faced one charge‚ emanating from a break-in and robbery he allegedly pulled with Mtakiso in an office inside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.

In this burglary‚ the pair allegedly made off with a laptop and a memory stick belonging to Joyce Ntuli‚ an official of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)‚ on July 20.

Mtakiso also faces charges for allegedly breaking into the offices of the NPA in downtown Pretoria.

There he allegedly stole two laptops belonging to prosecutors Andre Fourie and Jennifer Cronje‚ as well as a memory stick.

Cronje was the prosecutor in the case against four men accused of killing North West businessman Wandile Bozwana execution style.

The trial was billed to continue next year. The NPA moved swiftly to allay fears that dockets had been stolen following this brazen burglary.

Mtakiso also allegedly targeted Koedoe Arcade‚ a building housing offices of Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba.

The state accused Mtakiso of burgling the office of an official named Kleinbooi Phahlamohlaka and stealing a full desktop computer‚ including a keyboard and mouse.

Mtakiso‚ who appeared to have gone on a crime spree‚ also apparently hit the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court twice last month.

On July 28‚ he allegedly stole a cellphone at an office of an official‚ and returned two days later and made off with a briefcase belonging to a brigadier.

Mtakiso apparently also pulled a burglary and robbery at an office of a private business. According to the state‚ he broke into an Old Mutual building on August 4 and stole a kettle‚ speakers‚ laptop charger‚ an umbrella and two packs of Jungle Oats.

Mtakiso also faced a count for escaping from police custody‚ another brazen act he allegedly pulled the same day he is said to have stolen a briefcase at the commercial crimes court.

- SowetanLIVE