Two Batswana citizens, wanted in Botswana and hiding in South Africa, were arrested by the South Africa Police Service after they were involved in a spate of criminal activities in the North West Provence.
Information passed to The Sunday Standard suggests that the two were part of a notorious criminal syndicate based in South Africa’s North West Province that carried out armed robberies, stock theft and house break ins.
It is understood that recently the criminal syndicate was on a spate of criminal activities around the province in which they were spotted and arrested.
They were found in possession of 941 rounds of ammunition, including 9mm, R1, R4 shotguns and AK47 rifles.
SAPS established that the firearms and some ammunition had been stolen from Boshoek during a housebreaking that occurred around June this year.
In a telephone interview with Sunday Standard, police spokesman of the North West Province, Lesego Metsi, said, “The South African Police Service have recently arrested 4 suspected criminals, two Batswana nationals and two South Africans citizens.”
He said the suspected criminals, Director Osekeng, Mofuto Mareme (both Batswana) and Jimmy Tshukodu, a South African national, are charged with illegal possession of arms and ammunition, stock theft as well as house breaking.
He said the fourth suspect, a South African, was arrested last Thursday by the police.
“The two Batswana are wanted in their country for armed robberies that occurred sometime last year and in which they are allegedly implicated,” he said.
Metsi added that as the police they had not yet established whether the two Batswana were illegal immigrants in South Africa.
He explained that following a number of stock theft cases, in which cattle were killed with firearms, members of Vryburg Stock Theft Unit, together with members of Vryburg K9 Unit, conducted investigations at Morokweng Village.
He said when the investigations intensified, the police discovered 941 rounds of ammunition, including 9mm, R1, R4, shotgun and AK47.
Metsi said the four suspects are scheduled to appear before the Vryburg magistrate court sometime this week and the suspects have been remanded in custody while police investigations continue.
