LIMPOPO – A 30-year-old Lesotho national, was arrested on Thursday afternoon at around 15:30, during a sting operation conducted by the Tzaneen Detectives, the Tzaneen Cluster Trio Task Team and Members of the Crime Prevention Unit , led by Colonel Cecil Machimane, said Police spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe in a statement released on Friday.
In the statement Ngoepe said the prompt and swift reaction by members of the police in the Tzaneen Cluster, led to the arrest of the assailant involved in the Wednesday night’s fatal shooting of a Frank Joe Moyo (41).
Read more: Man (41) shot and killed in Letsitele outside Tzaneen, police launch manhunt
Moyo was shot an killed on Wednesday night at a house within Zhangoma village in the Letsitele policing area outside Tzaneen. He is suspected to be linked to illegal mining in the area.
“The members acting on a tip-off from local residents, positively intercepted the suspect at a local taxi rank allegedly en-route to Gauteng. During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of a revolver firearm, 11 rounds of ammunition, four cellphones and undisclosed amount of cash, believed to be some of the money robbed from the deceased,” Ngoepe explained.
He added that preliminary police investigations have since revealed that the recovered firearm was reported missing in February this year by the owner from Matsulu area in Mpumalanga. “Further investigations will still be conducted to determine whether the firearm was used in the commission of other crimes,” he said.
The suspect will appear before the Nkowankowa Magistrate Court on Tuesday, 18 June on charges of murder, robbery, possession of suspected stolen properties and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended the Saps Tzaneen Cluster Commander Major General Maggy Mathebula and her team in implementing the National standard on 72 hours activation plan for working tirelessly in ensuring the perpetrator is tracked down within 24 hours. The General further praised the community members for their continuous support in providing valuable, quality and positive information to the police which led to this arrest.
