North fugitive linked to 23 cases

Moot police have arrested a fugitive who has been linked more than 20 criminal cases and had been on the run for four years now.

A team of six detectives and a tracking team arrested Reason Mangena (38) in the early hours of Thursday morning at an informal settlement north of Pretoria.

“The suspect had been on the run since 2014 after a warrant of arrest was issued because he did not appear in court for a case he was arrested for in 2013,” according to police spokesperson Captain Anton Breedt.

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Breedt said Mangena was arrested for the first time in 2013 on three different cases. These included business robbery, house break-in and possession of stolen property.

The business robbery charge was later withdrawn before he skipped bail.

Breedt said Mangena’s fingerprints were taken to check whether he had any pending cases as required by court. That was when he was linked to 23 cases in the Moot.

“These cases were all reported during 2013 and 2016 in the Moot, Wonderboompoort, Hercules and Villieria,” he said.

“Detectives followed up information leading them from the Moot, Sunnyside and Johannesburg precincts and finally ending up in Klipgat informal settlement north of Pretoria, where he was arrested.”

He said the Mangena appeared in court and was remanded for seven days for further investigation.

Pretoria Moot police station commander Colonel Hlengani Gibin Mashaba commended the officers for their excellent work.

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He urged the community to assist the police in the fight against crime by reporting any information that may lead to the arrest of all wanted fugitives.