Police arrest suspects, recover stolen goods
Last Wednesday police arrested three suspects accused of a number of house robberies, and an incident in which a 22-year-old woman was raped.
TONGA – The perpetrators were between the ages of 29 and 35.
According to the victim she and her sister had been asleep when they were awoken by a noise at the garage door. Three men stormed into their bedroom, apparently wearing balaclavas.
They demanded money and one suspect threatened the victim with a knife, dragged her outside and raped her. The offenders fled on foot with a plasma screen, a Nokia and a handbag.
One of them was apprehended and assaulted by community members, before being handed over to the police. The suspect subsequently named his accomplices. He was currently under police guard at Tonga Hospital.
According to Lt Mzwandile Nyambi, the information received from the accused contributed to the arrest of the other two suspects. When police apprehended them they were in possession of a plasma screen, an undisclosed amount of cash, laptops, 12 cellphones, handbags, bank cards believed to have been stolen during the robberies, and one of the suspects was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
They appeared in court the same day and were denied bail, and were expected back in court on June 19.
All three were denied bail, and remanded in police custody.
The rape victim was undergoing treatment and counselling, and police were still investigating other crimes which the suspects might be linked to.
They were expected to reappear in the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court soon.
Tonga Police Station commander, Brig Velisiwe Mdaka, thanked the community members who assisted them with information that led to the arrest of the suspects.
She also urged the community to trust the police when it came to the performing of their duties.
“Nothing is impossible if we work together as a unity to fight crime.” Ndaka said.
