Mpumalanga police traced and arrested two suspects who are alleged masterminds of the recent spate of truck jacking incidents. The incidents were executed on the R40 Road, including other robberies committed in the province.
Court appearance
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said the two suspects are Keabeletswe Mohlala, 20, and Thulani Ngutshane, 26. They made their first court appearance at the Mkhulu magistrate’s court on Thursday after being charged on Wednesday.
Mohlala said Keabeletswe and Ngutshane are facing about seven counts of armed robberies. Some of the robberies are related to the hijacking of delivery trucks on the R40 Road between November and December this year.
The other robberies were allegedly carried out by Keabeletswe and Ngutshane in the area of Calcutta, near Hazyview, in Mpumalanga.
Links to other robberies in the area
“The police in Calcutta made a major breakthrough by arresting two suspects who are allegedly masterminds in the spate of truck jacking incidents carried out on the R40 Road, as well as other robberies previously committed in the area of Calcutta,” said Mohlala.
“According to a report, police investigators at Calcutta were busy probing and tracing suspects for the reported robbery cases in their area. The investigation led them to an abandoned house in Marite outside Hazyview. Two suspects were apprehended, then later charged.
“The two faced a total of about seven incidents of armed robberies. Some of these are related to the hijacking of delivery trucks on the R40 Road… These were committed in November and December 2023,” said Mohlala.
Case postponed to next week
He said during the court proceedings on Thursday, the magistrate postponed the matter to December 27 2023 for a formal bail application.
Meanwhile, Keabeletswe and Ngutshane remain in police custody until their next court appearance.
Arrest lauded
Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela hailed the arrests of Keabeletswe and Ngutshane.
“We observe this development with great excitement because we have been so concerned with the robberies … whereby delivery vehicles were targeted. More arrests will be made, we hope. The arrest of the two is a step in the right direction and we commend the hard work made by the members,” said Manamela.
