By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
15 December 2024- Six suspects were arrested for business robbery in collaborative efforts by members of the community, private security company and police. The accused, Orphan Pokane (25), Bohlokwa Molapo (23), Pitso Makhoane (34), Peter Fuzani (42), Makabelo Maboe (38) and Johannes Hlabanelo (50), were arrested on Tuesday morning, 10 December 2024, in Luka village near Phokeng in Rustenburg.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the arrests stemmed from an incident wherein four men armed with firearms stormed the shop and forced the shopkeeper to lie down flat on the ground.
Mokgwabone said they then allegedly robbed him of cash, cigarettes and cell phones.
“The accused then locked the victim inside the shop and fled in a silver grey Ford Figo vehicle. Unbeknown to the accused, the shopkeeper went out through an unlocked back door and alerted a colleague and together with a law abiding citizen, pursued the suspects.
“The chase ended up at a cul-de-sac, where the suspects abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. A swift response by the Royal Bafokeng Reaction Force members and the police led to the arrests,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said the accused were remanded in custody upon appearance in the Bafokeng Magistrate’s Court until 15 January 2025. He added that, investigation into the matter continues and the possibility of linking the accused with other cases cannot be ruled out.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, commended all parties involved for their cooperation that culminated in the success.
The Guardian 