The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has strongly condemned the conduct of four SAPS members (three male officers and a female) aged between 29 and 41 from Limpopo who were arrested in Lydenburg , Mpumalanga together with a civilian in connection with a house robbery at Mashishing that occurred on Thursday night.
According to preliminary reports, the victims, all Ethiopian nationals, were asleep when they were ambushed by the suspects.
Lieutenant General Hadebe has condemned corrupt activities within the ranks of the SAPS: “We wish to reiterate that acts of criminality and corruption within the ranks of the police will not be tolerated. The arrest of these members will send a strong message that anyone engaging in corrupt acts will swap their blue uniform to orange.”
“Lastly, we call upon the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in Mpumalanga to do due diligence in this matter to ensure that the members face the full might of law,” added Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
The members have since been suspended in line with SAPS Discipline Regulations 2016 and the matter is currently being expedited departmentally.
All five suspects remain in custody and are expected to appear before the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges of house robbery.
Murder arrests
Meanwhile police in the Waterberg District have arrested suspects in connection with two separate murder incidents that occurred in Modimolle and Lephalale on Saturday.
In the first incident, which took place at about 3am at a tavern in Extension 11, Phagameng, Modimolle, a 36-year-old man was fatally stabbed following an altercation.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said, according to the report, the victim was taken to hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
“Police swiftly traced and arrested the suspect, and the murder weapon was recovered,” he said.
In another incident that occurred later that morning at approximately 9.35am in Mamojela Park, Lephalale, police responded to a complaint of a murder.
“On arrival, they found the body of a 36-old man with multiple stab wounds. Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased had allegedly gone to the suspect’s shack searching for his girlfriend and began breaking the door,” said Ledwaba, adding that: “A fight ensued, during which the 29-year-old male suspect allegedly stabbed the victim several times.”
Ledwaba said the suspect was arrested at the scene.
Both suspects will appear before in court on Monday.
