The South African Police Service is a member country of Interpol and works in close cooperation with 188 other police forces worldwide in order to prevent and combat crime within our borders and internationally. In the spirit of this cooperative effort, we have an outstanding relationship with our neighbouring countries and regularly coordinate operations and investigations in order to thwart cross-border crime.
During May 2011 a request was received by the South African Police Service’s Interpol office to assist in the apprehension of two citizens of the Republic of Botswana, wanted for armed robbery and suspected of being in South Africa.
It was alleged that on 1 May 2011, five gunmen attacked a shop owner in Gabarone, Botswana and robbed both the show owner and the shoppers in the store of various items. Three of the suspects were arrested but two of them, Ngqabuthu Mbele (33 years) and Stanley Ndlovu (37 years), apparently fled to South Africa.
On Thursday 28 July 2011, members of Interpol tracked the two suspects down to Zeerust and arrested them on the Botswana armed robbery charges. Mbele and Ndlovu appeared in court on the same day and bail was opposed.
The extradition matter is scheduled to proceed on Monday, 8 August 2011.
Media contact :
Brigadier Sally de Beer
Cell: 082 779 8658
Twitter: Sally RSA
Source: South African Police Service
