Business robbery suspects appear in Bethal Magistrate’s Court
The four men who are suspects in the business robbery that happened at Ackermans store in Bethal on May 12 are due back in court on May 21 for a formal bail application.
Aron Mlambo (33), Bukhosibakhe Mtshali (44), Brain Maphosa (34) and Cleopas Ndlovu (32) appeared before Bethal Magistrate’s Court on May 14, on charges of business robbery.
The matter was postponed to May 21, for a formal bail application. The four accused are remanded in custody.
Local police and officers of a private security company arrested the four during a business robbery at the Ackerman store on May 12.
It is alleged that the four suspects entered the store and two of them were armed with firearms.
According to Sergeant Thomas Mogadime, media spokesman for Bethal police, the suspects allegedly forced everyone in the store to lie down and the manager was instructed to open the cellphone cabinet and place all the cellphones in a big bag.
Two of the suspects left the store with different cellphones to the value of R40 500. When the security officers arrived the other two suspects were still in the store.
“They closed the door with the unarmed suspects and customers inside. When the police arrived, the security officers informed them that there were two suspects locked inside with customers,” said Mogadime.
The police and security officers entered the store and the two suspects were arrested when they were pointed out by the employees.
They were then taken to Bethal Police Station. Further information was received that the two suspects fled the store with the stolen property in a red Renault Clio with a GP registration.
Secunda Flying Squad responded and apprehended the robbers. The two suspects were arrested and the stolen cellphones were recovered.
Three of the suspects are Zimbabweans. They could not provide the police with legal documents permitting them to be in the country. The police are working with officials from the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain their status in the country.
More charges could be added against them for the contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa, should it be discovered that they do not possess valid documentation thereof.
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