A 36-year-old man appeared in the KaNyamazane Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga, yesterday, after he was recently arrested in connection with the kidnapping and robbery of two tourists from the US.

The incident occurred last Thursday as they were heading to the Kruger National Park.

According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the tourists were driving along the R536 in the Calcutta area when they were stopped by a Volkswagen Golf with a blue light

“The two tourists, a male (47) and a female (39), were held at gunpoint by two armed suspects who kidnapped them and drove to a spot where they were robbed of their personal items. They left the suspects and fled with the stolen goods.

“The victims were later assisted by members of the community to reach Masoyi Police Station where a case was opened. The investigation immediately commenced. It was during the course of the inquiry when valuable information was provided by the FBI regarding the whereabouts of some of the reported stolen property,” he says.

Mdhluli adds that information led the police to a house in KaNyamazane, outside Mbombela. Upon arrival at the premises, the team discovered one of the suspects in question. A search was conducted and several items believed to have been stolen during the robbery were found. These include a laptop, two iPads, an iPhone smart wristwatch and two sets of binoculars.

A 16-channel signal jammer, a dash blue light and a VW Polo reportedly fitted with false registration number plates were also discovered.

“The suspect was arrested and charged for possession of suspected stolen property. The police confiscated the recovered items for further investigation. The man appeared in the KaNyamazane Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The matter was postponed to September 19 for further investigation while he remains in custody,” Mdhluli says.

The investigation continues, but due to the delicacy of the probe, the suspect’s name cannot be revealed at this stage. Mdhluli says more charges will be added as the police are still looking for the second suspect.