Limpopo cop arrested for armed robbery

LIMPOPO – The police have arrested over 100 people during joint operations that were conducted throughout the province last week. The operations focused mostly on the hot spot areas such as taxi ranks, malls, liquor outlets and the tracing of wanted suspects, said Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.

The operations comprised members from various police units including detectives, crime intelligence, crime prevention, K9, the tactical response team, public order police, task teams and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The operations saw the arrest of 106 suspects for charges relating to attempted murder, burglary carjacking possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, robbery, possession of drugs, possession of illicit cigarettes, possession of stolen property, possession of dagga, driving under the influence of liquor, drinking liquor in public, gambling, and prostitution.

Among these success was the arrest of a police officer following a business robbery at a Kanana village in the Matlala policing area. It is alleged a 40-year-old constable and his 37-year-old accomplice robbed two people at gunpoint. The police were notified and the two were arrested shortly afterwards, said Mojapelo.

In the Mopani district, a joint operation which comprised police members from Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Maake and Mokwakwaila, Namakgale, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Lulekani saw the arrest of 35 people for various charges including that of illegal gathering in contravention of the Disaster Management Act, he added.

“A total of 91 vehicles and 232 people were searched, 17 vehicles tested and 16 traffic summons issued.

A total of 12 firearms, 54 rounds of ammunition, eight cartons of cigarettes and other household items were also confiscated, during the operations,” Mojapelo said.

The suspects, aged between 23 and 65, are expected to appear before the various magistrate’s courts soon, he concluded.