According to the communication officer of the police in Wedela, Sgt Reginald Motsamai Moshe, police members were busy with routine work when they spotted a suspicious white Nissan Go driving out of an open veld near the cemetery just outside the town. Whilst they were following the vehicle, they made enquiries on it. The police found that it was reported as hijacked in June 2021 around Tshwane. “They immediately stopped the driver, ordered him out and asked to search the car. They found an unlicensed firearm with ammunition in his possession and arrested him on the spot,” says Moshe. When the police drove into the veld to see where the man was coming from they found an abandoned and dilapidated building. They searched through it and found another vehicle, a blue Toyota Yaris. They soon determined that this was hijacked earlier the day on the N12 near Fochville. The driver was on his way to hospital as he was severely assaulted during the hijacking. They also found some of this victim’s property with the suspect. “The firearm found with the suspect will be sent for ballistic testing to find whether it is the one that was used during the hijackings,” Moshe added. Both the Yaris and Nissan Go were impounded. The 29-year-old suspect will be charged with possession of hijacked motor vehicles and the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He will appear in the Fochville Magistrates Court soon. The Station Commander of Wedela Police Station, Captain Coenie Botha, thanked the alert members on behalf of the West Rand District Commissioner, Major General Fred Kekana, and applauded them for their dedication and resilience in their performance of duties. He also said that the suspect will be profiled to determine if he is linked to other crimes, especially hijackings, as there has been a high number of hijackings in the district recently.
