By Staff Reporter
MASHISHING – Four Limpopo police officers have been arrested in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, for their alleged involvement in a house robbery targeting Ethiopian nationals. The shocking arrest took place in the early hours of Friday, 10 October.
According to Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdluli, at around 23:50 on Thursday, 9 October, police responded to reports of a house robbery in progress at a residence in Lydenburg (Mashishing).
“It is alleged that the victims, Ethiopian nationals, were asleep when a group of armed suspects attacked them,” said Mdluli.
The suspects were reportedly using three vehicles:A grey double-cab Toyota bakkie with Limpopo registration plates, A private vehicle, either a Suzuki Ertiga or a Toyota Avanza/Rumion and A marked SAPS VW Golf GTI belonging to the Polokwane Flying Squad.
The private vehicle allegedly fled the scene with multiple boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash.
At the scene, four SAPS members – three men and one woman, aged between 34 and 41, all attached to various Limpopo units – were arrested alongside a 29-year-old civilian. Both the marked police vehicle and the Toyota bakkie were seized by authorities.
“Further investigation at the scene led to the seizure of boxes of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of about R1.5 million, as well as R950 000 in cash. Police also discovered that the registration plates on the seized vehicles had been tampered with using black Sellotape, presumably to conceal their identities.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has taken over the investigation.
In a video released by Mpumalanga police, an undisclosed amount of cash was found hidden inside the bulletproof vest of one of the arrested Limpopo officers, further deepening the gravity of the case.
Illicit cigarettes worth R1.5 million and R950 000 in cash were confiscated during the operation.
Ammunition was also recovered at the scene,” added Mdluli.
Two of the arrested officers were found in possession of their official service firearms, which have since been confiscated.
All five suspects remain in custody as investigations continue. They are expected to appear in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 13 October, facing charges of house robbery. Additional charges may be added as the case develops.
