LIMPOPO – Provincial police, aided by members of the private sector have arrested four taxi operators for the recent murders of a local taxi boss and his female companion.
Fourie Mobai (47) and Deborah Moila (42) were shot execution style at a filling station in Mohlabaneng Cross near near Bellevue outside Bolobedu on August 10.
According to earlier police reports the deceased arrived at the filling station driving a white Volkswagen Polo at around 19:20. Mobai entered the shop leaving his female companion in the vehicle. Two suspects emerged, one entered the shop and fired shots at the taxi owner while the other shot at the woman sitting in the vehicle. “Both victims were shot execution style and were declared dead on the scene”, said police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.
Read more: Taxi owner and female companion gunned down at filling station outside Bolobedu
At the time two cases of murder were opened and the docket was later transferred to the provincial office and team was established to track down the attackers and bring them to book.
Mojapleo added that in-depth investigation were conducted and on Friday (September 10) the team arrested four suspects in Tzaneen and Thembisa in Gauteng, respectively.
“At 03:00 the police aided by members from Willikie K9 Security Company arrested a 36-year-old suspect in Tzaneen. The intensified operation continued to Thembisa where three more suspects, aged between 30 and 40, were arrested.”
He added that one suspect was injured while attempting to evade arrest.
“The said suspect almost ran over one of the officers in an attempt to evade arrest but was arrested after a high speed chase that also resulted in a shootout with the police. The suspect sustained injuries during the shootout and was admitted in hospital under heavy police guard,” he explained.
During the arrest, the police recovered a 9mm pistol with ammunition and a Toyota Quantum which was possibly used during the double murder. “The getaway BMW 3 series were also confiscated.”
Provincial police commissioner Lt Genl Thembi Hadebe hailed the teams in involved in the arrests. “The meticulous investigations conducted by members of this team and the subsequent arrests with the support of the private sector are highly commendable. The violence in the taxi industry across the province, will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be hunted down to face the full might of the law,” she concluded.
Mojapleo said all four suspects are believed to be taxi operators linked to a taxi organisation in the Bellevue and Bolobedu areas.
They are expected to appear in Bolobedu Magistrate’s Court next week on charges of murder, among others.
“The injured suspect faces additional charges of possession of unlawful firearm and ammunition and reckless and negligent driving and will appear in court once he has recovered,” Mojapleo concluded.
