Zimbabwean ‘serial mugger’ dies in custody

A Zimbabwean national charged with a string of robberies died in the holding cells of Bela-Bela police station on Wednesday 16 October.

Although the man has refused to disvulge his identity, the police have reason to believe his name is Petrus Moyana, and the authorities are trying to locate his family.

He was initially expected to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday 21 October.

Bela-Bela police spokesperson, Sergeant Frans Maponya, said the suspect got sick and was taken to Bela-Bela Hospital.

He said police investigations would continue to determine if indeed the deceased was the suspect in relating to the charges.

Maponya said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate was also involved in the inquest.

At the time of the suspect’s arrest station commissioner, Colonel Abel Ngoepe, said the suspect was cornered by members of the police on a dumping site in the vicinity of the local cemetery.

He said during the ensuing scuffle, a shot went off, reportedly with a bullet hitting the man on the lower jaw.

Maponya had said at the time the man was expected to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on charges of robbery and rape.

The suspect was arrested following a tussle with the police on Friday 20 September.

Phetla had said the suspect had allegedly mugged a number of people, threatening them with a panga.

The suspect’s modus operandi, Phetla explained, was pouncing on workers and shoppers carrying groceries, robbing them of their belongings.

Two of the victims were women, with one of them pregnant at the time of the robbery.

According to Phetla, a passer-by was going to work when the suspect approached him, asking for a smoke.
He said the man noticed that the suspect was armed with a knife in his pocket, and then returned to the township to raise the alarm, which led to the subsequent arrest of the suspect.

— The BEAT