THE Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Mduduzi Blessing Zama (27), following his alleged escape from the court premises on Tuesday, 11 August.
Zama is on the run from police.
Investigating officer, W/O Yugen Moodley of the Scottburgh cluster detective task team appeals to anyone who knows of Zama’s whereabouts to contact either him on 039-978-9917, the Scottburgh police on 039-978-1900 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
“The public is advised not to approach or attempt to arrest the suspect, but to call the police instead,” said provincial police spokesman, Capt Thulani Zwane.
A number of businesses in central Scottburgh had been burgled in recent months and all efforts by Scottburgh SAPS to identify and arrest the perpetrators had been futile until a local businessman informed them of two suspicious-looking people lurking around his premises.
They were arrested on Sunday, 9 August and charged with trespassing.
While they were in police custody, W/O Moodley interviewed them and his investigations led him to Zama’s residence in Amandawe, where goods suspected to be stolen were recovered. Some of the property was identified as taken during the business burglaries in central Scottburgh.
Zama was subsequently linked to a number of burglaries and appeared in Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 11 August.
At 12.50pm, Zama allegedly falsely misrepresented himself as another accused who had been convicted on a drug-related charge and released upon payment of a fine. As soon as the court orderlies discovered that Zama had pretended to be the other accused and should not have been released from custody, police launched a manhunt for him.
A case of escaping from lawful custody has been registered for investigation.
