robbers – praag.org

Johannesburg airport robbers arrested

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Khehla John Sitole, has welcomed the arrest on 21 February of suspects believed to have been involved in cases of robbery of people being followed from the O. R. Tambo International Airport and praised members for their sterling work.

This morning, members from the National Investigation Unit (NINU) together with members of O. R. Tambo International Airport and the SAPS Flying Squad, acting on intelligence, arrested four men in Alexandra Township outside Johannesburg. The suspects were allegedly planning a robbery when our team pounced on them as they were changing the number plates on their sedan. However, three suspects managed to flee, initiating a high speed chase and a shootout between the suspects and the police. The suspect’s vehicle swerved off the road, crashing to a halt.

Four suspects were arrested of which one was shot and wounded. Our team also recovered at least two handguns. The National Commissioner, in praising the SAPS team for this significant success said, “I am very pleased with the progress we are making to significantly reduce this category of crime but more importantly I am equally pleased that our proactive strategy is yielding positive results”.

These suspects are believed to have been involved in multiple cases of people being followed from the OR Tambo Airport and robbed. The firearms will be sent for ballistic testing to determine if they have been used in the commission of crimes.

“We appeal to anyone who may have any information on crime are requested to please contact our Crime Stop number 086 00 10111. All callers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence,” the police said in a statement.

Black robbers hold up 108 Afrikaner children at gunpoint

Afrikaner child at Hennopspark Laerskool

A group of 108 schoolchildren and 10 teachers from the Hennopspark Primary School in Pretoria were robbed at gunpoint at a lodge in Hazyview on Thursday, said Mpumalanga police.

Colonel Leonard Hlathi said they had been on a school tour when three men armed with a shotgun and two pistols entered their rooms shortly after midnight.

“They said they did not want to harm them, but just wanted their things,” said Hlathi.

The gunmen made off with 14 cellphones, money, an I-pad, laptop and jewellery.

No one was injured in the robbery and no arrests had been made, said Hlathi.

Hennopspark Primary School spokeswoman Anna Alkema said the children involved were Grade seven pupils, who were between the ages of 11 and 13-years-old.

She said they had arrived in Hazyview on Wednesday and were meant to start their tour only on Thursday. Their trip had been cut short and the children were on their way back home.

School principal Jannie Raath said the school was grateful that no one had been harmed.

“We spoke to them and everyone is a little traumatised but they are ok. We have also spoken to the parents,” said Raath. – Sapa

Prosecutor releases robbers because ‘she did not understand Afrikaans’

Two men accused of being part of a gang of robbers were mistakenly released after a miscommunication in the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) office, The Saturday Star reported.

The newspaper reported that a prosecutor misunderstood an instruction from a control prosecutor that led her to withdraw charges against Solly Mahlahlo and Morekgomo Stanley Phaahla.

The case was scheduled to be heard in the Pretoria North Regional Court.

Police spokesman Captain Jan Sepato told the paper they would have to issue Mahlahlo and Phaahla with summons to appear in court as they did not escape from custody, but were released by officials.

The three witnesses in the case, Fanie Venter, Tiaan Strydom and Jeandre Visagie told the newspaper they feared for their lives as the men, who they positively identified in May 2011 could be after them.

NPA spokesman Medupe Simasuku told the Saturday Star that the error was an honest mistake that did not warrant disciplinary action.

“The instruction was given to the prosecutor in Afrikaans which is not her home language,” Simasuku was quoted.

The two were allegedly part of a gang that attacked the witnesses and robbed them in Montana, Pretoria in 2011. – Sapa