MBOMBELA – Another suspect has been arrested for the theft of 112 rhino horn pieces from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) in Mbombela. Veli Williams Zwane (43) was arrested by police yesterday in KaNyamazane.
State prosecutor Ms Ansie Venter said Zwane was linked with physical evidence found at the crime scene.
Zwane appeard in court on Wednesday with KaNyamazane businessman Mr Selby George Khoza( 39), Mr Gideon Mtshali,( 51), and Mr Sizwe Leonard Malatjie, (34) for their bail hearing in front of Magistrate Ms Christa du Plessis.
Khoza was arrested by the Hawks in Pretoria last Monday after his name was mentioned in court as one of the people who allegedly worked with the other suspects . Mtshali and Malatjie were arrested on June 6 and 7.
Du Plessis postponed the matter for July 18 and 25. She stated the postponment was due to Zwane and Khoza’s defence were not ready to proceed on the matter.
Khoza’s defence Advocate Mr Pieter Naude then requested that his client should not be kept at Nelspruit Correctional facility because of his involvment with police in the past and there were prisoners that might impose a danger to him. Du Plessis then made an order that Khoza be kept at Barberton prison until his bail hearing.
Malatjie had previously in court stated that he was a police informant. Mtshali also disclosed in court his second wife was a police official.
Mtshali and Malatjie have pleaded not guilty to charges of housebreaking and theft. Khoza and Zwane had not yet been asked to plead to the same charges.
The 112 pieces, weighing more than 80kg, were stolen from a strong-room at the MTPA’s offices in April 20
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