BRITS POS – PHOKENG - The quick thinking of a widow’s 20-year-old son as well as cross-border collaborations, assisted in tracing and apprehending two suspects, aged 31 and 43, in Soshanguve, Gauteng.
As a 47-year-old widow arrived home from work on Monday at Chaneng in Phokeng, five suspects overpowered and kidnapped her, taking her Toyota Corolla and forced her into their Mercedes Benz and drove off.
When his mom didn’t arrive back home from work, her son called her to check if everything was ok.
He could hear that something was wrong and activated her vehicle’s tracking system which showed that the victim wasn’t where she told her son she was at, but in Mooinooi.
He rushed to Mooinooi police station and reported his mother as missing. “Police then activated various units, including Crime Intelligence, Mooinooi and Phokeng Detective Units, the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD). The victim’s car was found abandoned in Mooinooi. Information gathered, identified the location of the Mercedes Benz in Soshanguve where the team ultimately found the vehicle and arrested two suspects,” advised Colonel Adéle Myburgh, SAPS North West spokesperson.”
The thugs threatened her and demanded
ransom to be paid.
“William Aphane (31) and David Mashabela (43) appeared before the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane on Friday, 12 April, on charges of kidnapping, pointing of a firearm and armed robbery. They were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Friday, 19 April for their bail application,” concluded Colonel Myburgh.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena thanked all the members and other role players involved for working diligently to ensure that the alleged perpetrators are brought to book. He emphasised that one’s first line of protection is within his or her own home and encouraged family members to follow the example set by the brave 20-year-old man who took it upon himself to locate his mother.
