Case against suspects withdrawn
The three men arrested after being caught demanding money and pointing firearms at people who were inside a car at the entrance/exit stop sign from Tzaneen to Nkowankowa on Thursday were released and their case withdrawn on Monday.
According to a statement released by the police on Thursday the three suspects together with their accomplices (number not known) took a cash amount of R4000 and one bag of clothes from their victims.
Tzaneen police spokesperson, Sergeant Glenda Maimele, said the three were caught by three off duty officers, Captain Joe Shingange, Sergeant Johan Sanderson and Constable Vukatimuni
Mushwana who were on their way to attend a party. The officers were not armed but managed to catch them.
“The police approached and suspects fled the scene with two motor vehicles but the police pursued one of them,” said Maimele. She said when the suspects realised that the police are not giving up they jumped off the car and ran on foot.
“The police also jumped out off and started chasing them. They pelted them with stones while running, since they had no firearms. After a long chase they managed to catch one suspect with a firearm,” she added.
Maimele further said the Tzaneen tracing team came and assisted in the search for the other suspects. “They found the remaining two who were hiding in the bushes and discovered another firearm.
She said it was brave for the three officers to approach a scene where criminals were armed. Despite the officers hard work the case was withdrawn due to lack of evidence.
