A collaboration between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Royal Eswatini Police (REP) led to the arrest of two women aged 27 and 32 for possession of suspected stolen money, robbed from a bank in Eswatini.
The women were arrested on May 15, after they were linked through an investigation by the REP following a robbery that took place at a major bank at the neighbouring Kingdom of Eswatini.
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Information at police disposal revealed that a bank robbery took place on May 8, at Matsapha wherein a woman, disguised as a man and armed with a firearm, stormed into the bank holding a teller and a security guard hostage. He ordered them to fill a big bag with cash before fleeing the scene.
A few days after the incident, a probe by the REP revealed that the robbery may have been a collaboration between the bank teller, security guard and the duo. The teller and the security guard were traced and arrested. Investigations established that the loot had been smuggled into the Republic of South Africa where it was to be kept safe at Nhlazatshe, Elukwatini near Badplaas, until it was safe to share among the four. The local police traced the location and arrested the two women at their hiding place at Tjakastad.
The suspects will appear at the Eerstehoek Magistrates’ Court today, facing charges of possession of suspected stolen cash and one will also appear in Eswatini later, for her involvement during the robbery there.
