Limpopo weekly arrests: 2 095 in the dock for various crimes
One of the arrests included a 24-year-old man who was arrested for illegal mining in the Driekop policing area.
LIMPOPO – The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, is impressed with the hard work and collaborative efforts by members of the police following the arrest of 2 095 people in the last week.Â
Hadebe said criminals should be pushed out of their hiding places until the province is crime-free.Â
A statement by police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the suspects are aged between 19 and 50.
“They were arrested during weekly joint-operations conducted from May 29 until Sunday, June 13 for various crimes which include murder, attempted murder, rape and sexual offenses, the unlawful possession of firearms as well as dealing in drugs,” he added.
Mojapelo added that enforcement on compliance with the Liqour Act was heightened, which resulted in 356 fines being issued and 51 shebeens were also shut.
“Police confiscated 209 809 sticks of illicit cigarettes, 50 dangerous weapons, 30 firearms, 64 knives and 15 stolen motor vehicles. A total of 2 635 fines and compliance notices related to the Road Traffic Act were issued,” he said.
Mojapelo highlighted some of the arrests:
Murder and attempted murder
“Police in Ritavi arrested a 54-year-old suspect for murder and attempted murder that took place in Nkowankowa on June 12. Police were tipped off by the community and upon arrival, they found a 27-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man with gunshot wounds. The man, Wessel Visser, was certified dead on the scene and the woman was transported to hospital with serious injuries,” Mojapelo explained.
He said the suspect was later arrested after he handed himself over at the Ritavi Police Station. “The licensed firearm was also confiscated. The motive is unknown at this stage but domestic violence cannot be ruled out. The suspect will appear in the Nkowankowa Magistrate’s Court on Monday, June 14.”
Armed robbery
Mojapelo said on June 10, members of the Highway Patrol Team received information about an armed robbery at a cosmetic shop in the Hlogotlou policing area.
“One suspect (26) was arrested by Hlogotlou Saps members at Vleeschboom Village and the getaway vehicle was also confiscated. The other suspect (50) was arrested at a house in Takataka section with assistance of the Saps Airwing. A 9mm pistol with ammunition was recovered.”
Stolen motor vehicle
“The Highway Patrol Team arrested a 47-year-old suspect for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle at Sekgakgapeng village near Mokopane on June 9. Preliminary police investigations revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen at Senoville Police Station in Gauteng,” he explained.
Illegal mining
A joint-operation by the Organised Crime and Public Order Policing units on June 9, saw a 24-year-old man arrested for illegal mining in the Driekop policing area.
“The suspect was caught with a truck loaded with chrome at Samanco mine in Atok village.”
Some of the suspects have started appearing before various magistrate’s courts across the province.
