DUO UP FOR POSSESSION OF SUSPECTED STOLEN PROPERTY, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

DUO UP FOR POSSESSION OF SUSPECTED STOLEN PROPERTY, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

BELFAST - Monday 13 October 2014, two suspects, Mduduzi Mpofu (30) and Prince Makamu (35) appeared before the Belfast Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of suspected stolen property, as well as unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

The suspects were nabbed on the N4 Highway on Saturday night, 11 October 2014, at approximately 22:00 by the Flying Squad members. The members were patrolling the N4 around Machadodorp when they spotted a suspicious maroon BMW and signaled for it to stop instead the driver sped off. They chased the vehicle until it pulled off around Belfast. Six men jumped out of it and ran away in different directions carrying bags.

The police managed to corner and arrest two of the suspects and recovered four pistols with their serial numbers filed off, together with a shotgun. Police further seized explosive bomb cables, an undisclosed amount of cash, three cellphones, cigarettes and other items worth approximately R1 500.

The villains are also linked to a business robbery incident that occurred earlier on the same day in one of the retail shops in Thulamashe near Bushbuckridge. In that robbery, a group of heavily armed men held people at gunpoint while firing shots at random, later they allegedly blew an ATM and stole cash. Before the suspects fled the scene, they looted the shop taking groceries, cigarettes and a computer responsible to operate the CCTV cameras.  They also held a taxi driver who was next to the ATM at gunpoint, forced him to the ground and hi-jacked his mini-bus taxi which they used as a getaway vehicle.

Both suspects were remanded in custody and the case was postponed to next week Monday, 20 October 2014 at the same court for a formal bail application.

The villains are also expected to appear before the Mhala Magistrate’s Court soon, facing charges of business robbery, malicious damage to property and hi-jacking.

Police have launched a manhunt for the outstanding suspects and urge any person with information that could lead to their arrest to contact Detective Constable Sello Kamela at 078 356 2484 or Crime Stop at 086 001 0111.