Police in Mpumalanga have arrested an alleged serial robber who has been on their “most wanted” list following a spate of robberies in the province.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the 24-year-old was part of a criminal group that has been terrorising the Mpumalanga community for almost a year.
“Saturday, September 30, was the end of the road for a 24-year-old most wanted alleged housebreaker in Schoemansdal. The suspect was arrested at Masibekele, near Tonga, at about 9pm,” said Mohlala.
“While police in Schoemansdal were busy conducting operational duties, information was received about the whereabouts of one of the most wanted suspects, who has been terrorising the community for almost a year.”
He said police officers “swiftly” responded to the information and headed to the hideout.
“The suspect was found in possession of an unlicensed 9mm pistol with five ammunition (bullets). He is suspected to have committed a number of business robberies around Schoemansdal policing area since the beginning of this year, 2023,” said Mohlala.
“It is alleged that he could have been involved in the commission of various criminal activities where it is suspected that he was armed with different kinds of firearms when committing such crimes.”
However, after the arrest, the 24-year-old was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition.
“The investigation team is working hard to ensure that for the alleged string of business robberies that he is found to have been involved in, he will be charged accordingly,” said Mohlala.
He said on Tuesday, the 24-year-old was scheduled to appear before the Nkomazi Magistrate's Court in Tonga.
Meanwhile, the provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has welcomed the “breakthrough”.
Earlier this year, police in Limpopo announced a major breakthrough when they arrested a 29-year-old “most wanted” suspect in Jane Furse, Sekhukhune District.
“The arrest happened on Friday, 14 April, 2023, when Lesley Chuenyane was arrested after escaping from police custody in 2018 while being transported to prison in Witbank, Mpumalanga province,” Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said at the time.
Chuenyane was initially arrested in 2018 after he was linked to four counts of rape committed in the Nebo policing area.
“The suspect was positively linked with the cases through forensic evidence, and his victims were between 20 and 30 years of age,” said Ledwaba.
He said on the day Chuenyane escaped from custody in 2018, a group of awaiting trial prisoners allegedly cut through the burglar window of a police van after it stopped at the Laersdrift policing area in Mpumalanga.
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