Kanye village hit by spate of armed robberies

Mpho Mokwape | Monday May 18, 2015 16:33

This past Friday, six suspects were arraigned respectively before Magistrate’s court on charges of armed robbery committed on separate occasions. The series of robberies follows barely few months of another armed robbery that claimed a police officer’s life after a shoot out ensued between the robbers and law enforcers.

Four of those suspects, Emmanuel Phafana (23) from Moshaneng village, Orapeleng Ranna (25), Gabatlale Modise (33) from Kanye and Akanyang Sejammu from Hukuntsi were arraigned before Magistrate Bosele Busang on three counts of armed robbery.The suspects, who are all unemployed are alleged on count one to have on April 8, 2015 to have robbed Ishmael Disai and Lugmaan Disai of a rifle valued at P35 000.00, ammunitions valued at P250.00, an Armani black watch valued at P4 500.00, two pairs of takkies, a laptop valued at P5000.00 and cash amount of P200.00. All the property is said to be valued at a total of P4505.00. The accused are alleged to have used violence by threatening the victims with a pistol, axe and okapi knife as well as burning them with an electric iron.

The four accused persons are further alleged on count two to have gone on April 13, 2015 at Kgwatlheng ward and robbed Kgomotso Serope of a Toyota funcargo vehicle valued at P25 000.00, a Blackberry smart phone and Nokia phone valued at P2 500.00 and P200.00 respectively, and took automatic machine (ATM) card’ valued at P27 240.00 while threatening the victim with a pistol.

On count three, the suspects are alleged still at the same ward to have robbed Mary Mbikiwa at gunpoint cash amount of P350.00, Nokia cellphone valued at P750.00 and ATM card valued at P1 100.00.When appearing before Magistrate Busang who denied them bail, the accused persons requested that they be given bail so that they can be able to sort out their legal representation.

Earlier on, Gosego Lekau from Directorate of Public Prosecutions had indicated that the accused be remanded in custody as the matter was still fresh and sum of the valuable properties are yet to be recovered.

In another armed robbery case, two suspects were arraigned before Magistrate Busang.The duo, 38 year old Oageng Letsholo from Kopong village and 48 year old Zimbabwean, Michael Takataka Ndlovu are alleged to have robbed Abdul Khalekh Shaik a Toyota Ipsum valued at P40, 000 00, Samsung plasma valued at P4, 000, Sony radio speakers valued at P2, 000, gold wedding ring at P6, 000, watch at P2, 000, Samsung phone at P3,000, four blankets at P4, 000, Nokia cellphone at P1,000 and cash amounting to 1, 400 while threatening to stab him with a knife and pointing a pistol at him.

Prosecuting Officer Goitsemang Sekgabo had asked the court to remand the accused persons because the stolen goods had not be recovered and that the investigating officer to be given a chance to update the court about the investigations.