ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.
KWAZULU-NATAL: The police in Durban have arrested a 59-year-old scrapyard manager after they recovered bags of copper cables from a premises with an estimated value of R20 million in the Queensburgh area yesterday. The eThekwini Municipality officials confirmed that the bulk of the stolen copper recovered belongs to the municipality and a man who identified himself as the scrapyard manager was detained by cops. He will appear in court soon.
GAUTENG: A City Power employee Mandlakhe Nhlakanipho Jali (40) made his first court appearance at the Booysens Magistrate's Court yesterday following his arrest at his place of work in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Jali's arrest came after an investigation into two incidents of cross-pavement cash in transit robberies that occurred two weeks apart in Booysens. Hawks said the Germiston-based Serious Organised Crime Investigators probed two cases of armed robbery that were registered at Booysens police station on the 11th and 23rd of June 2023, respectively. In the first incident, on Sunday, 11 June 2023, a Fidelity Cash Solution guard was accosted after collecting a cash box with an undiclosed amount of money from Southdale Mall at Pick & Pay. The guard was thereafter threatened with a firearm, robbed of the cash box and the company firearm before an unknown male fired one shot and fled from the scene.
On Friday, 23 June 2023, around 14:43, the G4S guard who had just collected money at Shoprite Checkers, Donnely Street Turffontein, was also accosted, and he was robbed of his firearm and a cash box before he could reach the Armored Vehicle (AV).
The suspects are said to have jumped into a blue hatchback and as they tried to get away, they caught the attention of a Mounted Unit Land Cruiser that was driving past. At this stage, the get-away vehicle was shot at the rear, shattering its window. Both the police vehicle and the AV gave chase in the direction of Kliprivier Road. One of the suspects from the getaway speeding vehicle tossed the money bag out of the window at the corners of Church and Sworder Streets, Turffontein, where it was recovered. Investigation led to the arrest of Jali, from Mapetla Hostel, in Soweto. He was linked to both crime scenes. The case was postponed to Tuesday, 10 September 2024, pending a bail application and further investigation.
EASTERN CAPE: A Congolese national, Juslain Cocki Chicha (36) has been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Bityi Regional Court in the Eastern Cape for raping a 28-year-old woman on 26 October 2020. The NPA said Chicha lured the unsuspecting victim with a job offer and promised her a job at her shop. The victim caught a lift with Chicha believing that she was going to start her new job, but the worst happened. The court heard that Chicha got the woman into a building; he threatened her with a knife and then raped her. After the assault, Chicha offered the woman R300, fortunately, she managed to escape during this time. Chicha was arrested two months after the incident and was linked by DNA to the rape.
