Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
19 August 2022
The South African Police Services in Mpumalanga are working tirelessly to bring transgressors of the law to book. They have since arrested another suspect linked to a business robbery at Eskom substation on Thursday, 18 August 2022.
A 38 year old suspect was arrested for possession of two unlicensed firearms and 12 live ammunition at Syferfontein farm in Charl Cilliers.
Information led police to the said farm after receiving a tipoff about a suspect who was in possession of a firearm.
After conducting their investigation, police managed to recover two firearms, one with serial numbers filed off and 12 live ammunition concealed next to an unused farm house.
Preliminary investigation has since revealed that one firearm’s lawful owner passed on in 2005 in Embalenhle and the firearm was neither reported stolen nor surrendered to the authorities.
The second firearm’s description fits one of the seven firearms which were robbed at Eskom Zeus substation in May this year (2022).
The substation was reportedly attacked by suspects recently whereby police managed to arrest three suspects, Zimbabwean nationals on Sunday, 14 August 2022.
According to the victims, about four suspects evaded the arrest.
The three arrested suspects, Thobelane Mpofu (34), Nkululeko Dube (31) and Lindani Sibande (28) made their first appearance at Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 17 August 2022 where they were remanded in custody until Wednesday, 14 September 2022 for further investigation.
The fourth suspect made his first court appearance at the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 19 August 2022 facing charges of being in possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunitions.
Police cannot rule out possibilities of adding other charges as the investigation progresses.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcome the arrest of the fourth suspect and recovery of the firearms.
“The province of Mpumalanga will never be a comfort zone for criminals as police work towards a goal of creating safe environment which is free from crime, including proliferation of firearms” said the General.
