2 men suspected of robbing store in eMalahleni arrested for murder in Ermelo
The two suspects allegedly robbed the store in the CBD on November 19.
Two of the four suspects who appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate Court earlier this week for the murder of a businessman are allegedly also tied to an armed robbery in eMalahleni.
The men together with two of their cohorts were arrested in Hazyview on November 24 following the murder of Omar Sakr, (40) who was gunned down at his business in Ermelo four days earlier.
According to police an undisclosed amount of cash and cellphones belonging to the deceased, clients, and employees were also robbed.
Two of the suspects were later released because no evidence could be found to tie them to the robbery and murder.
The murder made headlines in the Highvelder Newspaper in Ermelo when Sakr’s wife, Reflioe Sarah Sakr (31) was arrested on suspicion that she planned her husband’s death.
More leads led police to Hazyview, where the four suspects were arrested.
An interesting twist came about when two of the suspects were recognised by a woman who was robbed in a store in eMalahleni on November 19.
The woman told police she was at the till when one of her colleagues came to pay. An unknown man was apparently right behind the colleague.
“While assisting her colleague the man came to her and ordered her to put all the cash in the till in a plastic bag he handed her. She panicked and closed the till. The man got angry and she noticed he had a gun. He also took her cellphone,” police spokesperson Captain Eddie Hall said.
His accomplice at the door apparently told him to hurry and they fled the scene.
The two men believed to have robbed the store appeared in the eMalaheni Magistrate Court for the armed robbery case before they were taken to Ermelo to appear for the murder case.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has commended members for cracking down on the case within a short space of time.
“We are proud of our members, and we strongly believe that justice will be served for the victim,” said the general.
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