SAPS “Save A Life” operation results in over 2 000 arrests in Limpopo
Among those arrested is a highly wanted suspect who terrorised the community of Mankweng between April and June last year, the SAPS said.
LIMPOPO – The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has applauded all operational members who participated in the recent SAPS multi-disciplinary crime prevention operation “Save A Life”. The week-long joint operation was conducted across all five districts from January 2 to Sunday (January 9).
Operation “Save A Life” resulted in the arrest of 2 534 suspects and according to police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo the suspects were nabbed for crimes ranging from murder, robbery, carjacking, possession of unlawful firearms, possession and dealing in drugs, to theft, illegal immigration, possession of suspected stolen properties, assault and illegal trading in liquor.
The suspects are between the ages of 19 and 47, he added.
In the Mopani district the police arrested and charged four men for an armed robbery which was committed at a business premises in the Giyani policing area on January 7.
“An intelligence-driven operation conducted by members of the Mopani District Tracing Team and Giyani Crime Intelligence Unit led to the arrest of the four suspects (aged between 18 and 22) . Their arrests comes hours after an alleged business robbery committed in Mapuve village.”
Mojapelo added that during the operation the members recovered three unlicensed firearms, two empty magazines, two Norinco branded pistols with magazines, four rounds of live ammunition and a cartridge believed to have been used during the commission of the crime.
“The suspects were also found in possession of suspected stolen properties that included groceries, a Samsung plasma TV and a LG music system.”
Meanwhile on the same day, operations conducted within the Sekhukhune district led to the arrest of six suspects. The suspects (aged between 25 and 48) were arrested at Leeufontien in the Motetema policing area and charged with conspiracy to commit crime, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, attempted murder and possession of housebreaking equipment.
“A 9mm pistol with three rounds of live ammunition, cartridges of a AK47 rifle, a SANDF issued uniform and balaclava and various break-in equipment was recovered during the arrest.”
Three vehicles were also confiscated.
In Vhembe the police arrested a 39-year-old man for the rape of his daughter, aged 12. The minor was rapped at Tshirolwe village under the Mphephu policing area and the man was arrested on January 4.
Mojapelo said that in another successful operation, Mankweng SAPS arrested a highly-wanted suspect, 28-year-old Tshepo Steven Botabota.
Botabota was arrested in Germiston, Gauteng on Thursday (January 6) and brought to Mankweng where he was positively linked with several cases of house robbery, theft out of motor vehicles, murder and robbery with a firearm. “He is alleged to have terrorised communities in the Mankweng area between April and June”
He made his first court appearance in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court on Friday (January 7).
Other operational successes included the confiscation of a total of 90 735 sticks of illicit cigarettes, 16 dangerous weapons, 13 367g, 20g of cocaine, 18g of Nyaope, 13 firearms, 377 308ml of liquor, 37 knives and five stolen vehicles.
Hadebe thanked the public for their endless efforts in assisting the police in their continued fight against crime in the province.
The operations still continue across all sectors in the province, she concluded.
