North West cop and co-accused due in court on five counts

Four suspects, including a North West police officer, are due to appear in the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court this week facing five counts of attempted murder and two of carjacking.

Sergeant Sello Molefe, 46, and his alleged accomplices – Mcebeni Benene, 38, Arrao Silva, 44, and Bokamoso Moabi, 39 – will reappear in court on Thursday following their arrests earlier this month on charges related to bombing an ATM and business robbery.

Molefe is stationed at the Rustenburg Tactical Response Team (TRT).

Business robbery

According to North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, the group has been remanded in custody since their arrest for allegedly robbing a petrol filling station on 31 July 2022 on the R510 road near Mogwase, outside Rustenburg.

“Reportedly, unknown males arrived at the filling station driving in two vehicles; a silver Volkswagen Polo and a BMW X5.

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“They allegedly pointed customers and staff with firearms and went to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and exploded it with explosives. However, no money was taken from the ATM as the cash container did not open.  

“The suspects then took an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register and hijacked a vehicle and a motorbike on their way out,” Mokgwabone said in a statement on Sunday.

Mokgwabone said police were alerted to the crime and through the assistance of a car tracking company, the hijacked vehicle was traced to Sondela informal settlement.

Molefe and Benene were later arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning, 31 July in Boitekong and Tlhabane, respectively. 

“During the arrest, the police seized a rifle and boxes of cigarettes allegedly taken during the robbery. Subsequent to further investigations, Arrao Silva and Bokamoso Moabi were arrested at Boitekong and Tlhabane respectively.

“As a result, they appeared in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 4 August 2022, for ATM bombing, business robbery, five counts of attempted murder and two of carjacking. The duo was also remanded in custody and will reappear together with Molefe and Benene.”

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