On 20 March, seven dangerous suspects escaped from Wellington Prison in Umtata, the Eastern Cape. The suspects had cash-in-transit heists, murder, robbery cases pending against them. Several days after escaping, the suspects allegedly attacked a police station in Libode outside Umtata and made off with four rifles and two 9mm pistols.
Subsequently, three of the seven suspects were found shot dead with high calibre rifles on the road between Umtata and Butterworth. On 2 April, the remaining suspects allegedly committed a robbery at a bank in Elliot, during which an innocent bystander was shot dead.
The suspects were also allegedly involved in a robbery at a post office in Harding, KwaZulu-Natal on the 5 May. Following this, police received information that the suspects had left the area. From last Sunday, working on this information, police established that the suspects had arrived in Pretoria. This morning, following up on this information, the Hawks working with Crime Intelligence and the Task Force arranged an operation and arrested Khaya Bula in Orange Farm. They then went to Cosmo Sands, in the Midrand and identified an Audi used in a robbery in Harding.
Here Mphumelelo Mafikwane who escaped in Tarkastad in 2009 was arrested. Mafikwane was arrested along with Odwa Sithole. Mafikwane and Sithole took our members to Sakumzi (Saki) Mvoko who was arrested just a distance away. Three R5 rifles were recovered during Mvoko’s arrest. The operation then proceeded to Roodepoort where Yandisa Bila as well as cash-in-transit convict Monde Mlala were arrested. During the Roodepoort arrests, our members also recovered a fourth R5 rifle as well as ten fully loaded R5 magazines.
A Volvo was also recovered. The two cars (Volvo and Audi) are believed to have been bought using proceeds of the string of crime incidents that the suspects committed while they were on the run.
National Commissioner, General Bheki Cele as well as Hawks head Anwa Dramat commend the teams that worked hard to ensure the arrest of the six suspects.
Media contact:
Colonel McIntosh Polela
Tel: 012 400 6579 / 6584
Cell: 082 475 1427 or 079 563 1625
Fax: +27 12 400 7018
E-mail:dpci.communication@saps.org.za
Source: South African Police Service
