A COUPLE appeared before the Tzaneen magistrate’s court on 11 charges of business robbery last Friday.
Madala Daniel Mhlongo (30), who was on the police’s most-wanted list of criminals, and his girlfriend Nesta Tinyiko Maluleke (24), were remanded in police custody until Friday August 22, pending further investigations.
Mhlongo from Lusaka village and Maluleke from Mahonisi village in Malamulele were both arrested last month after a joint operation by the Tzaneen cluster task team, public order policing and crime intelligence operatives in Mahonisi village.
They were allegedly involved in various business robberies and car hijackings committed in the Tzaneen, Giyani, Ritavi, Letsitele, Thohoyandou and Vuwani areas.
Provincial police spokesperson, Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the police received a tip-off that the suspects were hiding in the Malamulele area.
“The police found and arrested the couple. They also recovered an illegal firearm and ammunition allegedly belonging to Mhlongo, in his girlfriend’s house,” Mulaudzi said.
Mhlongo faces an additional charge of car hijacking, which occurred in Tzaneen, while his girlfriend appeared before the Malamulele magistrate’s court on charges of the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Fannie Masemola said the arrest of the couple was a huge success for the police and it proved that there was no hiding places for criminals in the province.
“The couple thought they could evade capture. The police have the capability to pursue criminals relentlessly, track them down, and put them behind bars. No matter how hard criminals try to evade justice, they will not succeed,” he said.
