Alleged rapists of guests at lodge arrested
Two suspects involved in the rape of the guests at lodge arrested
Two suspects involved in the rape of the guests at Tatenda Guest Lodge two weeks ago were arrested on Thursday, October 17. The arrests follow a robbery which occurred at Kruger Park Lodge (KPL) between 01:00 and 01:45 on the same day.
The armed criminals gained access to one of the KPL chalets by climbing through an open bedroom window. Without waking the sleeping guests the robbers stole items to the value of R64 100 and R13 800 in cash. Some of the items stolen included wrist watches, cell phones cameras, cheque books and bank cards.
The suspects then continued their robbery spree by moving on to the next door chalet which was occupied by three female guests. Once again they entered through an open window but this time it was in the kitchen. They woke two of the women and held them at gunpoint and proceeded to steal items totalling R47 250 in value as well as R1 300 in cash. The third female guest was in another bedroom and realised what was happening and immediately contacted the resorts’ reception via her cell phone. Spes-Plan Security, SAPS and the Resort Manager was immediately called in to assist. In the meantime the criminals fled the scene across the Sabie River.
“What the robbers did not know was that one of the stolen IPhones was traceable,” says Leslie Hibbert, managing director Spes-Plan. “Daniel De Waal, Spes-Plan, traced the stolen iPhone on an Ipad which revealed that the robbers had now also crossed the Marite River and was heading towards Marite and Madras villages. De Waal together with four Spes-Plan members went to a footpath in the hills south of Madras village. There they waited for an hour and a half before they heard two men come up the path. They were clearly the thieves as they were openly chatting about the robbery at KPL. When the suspects were a meter away from the hidden Spes-Plan team, De Waal fired 2 shots into the ground and shone his torch at the robbers. The suspects tried to flee but De Waal tackled one of them while a Spes-Plan ops team member managed to grab the other a bit further down the path. A fist fight broke out between the second suspect and the Spes-Plan member who resulted in both of them rolling down an embankment and landing up in a stream. The suspect managed to break free and escape. “
With one suspect caught, Spes-Plan collected the stolen items which had been dropped by the criminals and returned to KPL. Once there the suspect pointed out where he and his accomplices had crossed the river after the burglary. He also provided the names of his two accomplices and agreed to point out their houses in Madras and Tshabalala.
“De Waal informed SAPS of the events which had taken place and SAPS then met the Spes-Plan team at our office,” continues Hibbert. ” It was at this point that the suspect freely admitted that he and his gang were responsible for the armed robberies in the area and as well as the rapes which took place at Tatenda Guest House.”
Various follow-up operations were undertaken by SAPS together with security companies. Due to information which SAPS received the second suspect was arrested and found to be in possession of suspected stolen items. The two arrested suspects continued to confess their numerous crimes which included the robbery at Blue Jay Lodge on April 8, another armed robbery at Tatenda Guest House on June 30, an attempted robbery at KPL on Wednesday October 16 , burglaries at two private houses and a robbery going back as far as 2008. In this incident they broke into a house which was occupied by a single woman whom they held at gunpoint while stealing electronic equipment and other items before fleeing.
It is important to note that neither of the suspects confessed to the armed robbery at Aan de Vliet Resort on Thursday, October 3.
SAPS are investigating other criminal activities related to the arrested suspects and it is believed that they are part of a gang operating in groups in Hazyview. “Though the robberies in Hazyview remain a cause of concern,” says provincial commissioner General Thulani Ntobela, “it must be borne in mind that SAPS management is doing all at its disposal to counter and stabilise criminal activities in the province”. The suspects will appear before the White River Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 21.
