Suspected car thief appears in court
Themba Dan Senama (50), was arrested by SAPS members from the Middelburg Flying Squad and appeared at the Belfast Magistrate's Court on Friday, January 12, 2024, on charges of possession of a vehicle suspected to have been hijacked.
According to a report, the men and women in Blue successfully intercepted a reportedly hijacked white VW Polo on the N4 Road in Belfast on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, hours after it was reported hijacked in Mamelodi in the Gauteng Province the previous day.
It is sad that members were doing their routine patrol duties when they spotted a vehicle, which was allegedly cloned and being driven by the said man. The vehicle was then stopped.
Upon further investigation, it transpired that the vehicle was the one that was reportedly hijacked hence the male suspect was arrested and charged for possession of suspected hijacked vehicle.
Currently the investigation is ongoing and police suspects that the man could be working in collaboration with others and during the time of his arrest, the suspect was heading towards Nelspruit direction possibly to drop off the vehicle somewhere.
At this stage Police cannot rule out possibilities of adding more charges against him and more suspects could be arrested pending further investigations.
During the court appearance, the matter was postponed to Monday, January 22, for further investigation meanwhile the suspect remained in custody.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has welcomed the arrest as well as the recovery of the vehicle.
The General further reiterated that Police in the province, in collaboration with members of the public and other law enforcement agencies will continue to work tirelessly in curbing theft and hijacking of motor vehicles.
