The 31-year-old Thuso Lobelo, a security officer working at the G4S depot in Mahikeng, was the latest to be arrested on Wednesday by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, along with eight others that were arrested since March 2020.

During the 2020 incident, two police officers, Delene Grobler-Koonin and Wynand Herbst, were killed following a shootout that took place between the suspects and the police. The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Tlangelani Rikhotso, says the case has been transferred to the Mahikeng High Court and is scheduled for 12 April 2021, where all nine suspects will appear.

“The armed gang allegedly shot and forced a cash security van off the road then blew it open. When the police approached the suspects, a shootout ensued resulting in Detective Warrant Officer Grobler-Koonin being tragically shot. The suspects fled and a manhunt was immediately launched. Follow-up operations continued and later in the day, some suspects were cornered in Coligny, North West, where Detective Warrant Officer Wynand Herbst was hit during crossfire. Three suspects were fatally wounded. Warrant Officer Herbst succumbed to his injuries in the hospital,” says Rikhotso.

As investigations continued, additional suspects were arrested, bringing the total number to nine. Rikhotso told OFM News that all suspects were arrested during different periods between March 2020 and February 2021, and have all made their appearances at the Mahikeng Regional Court. Solomon Ngubeni (47), Jabulani Yika (38), Musa Mkhavela (33), Terefe Demmissie (39), Edgar Marule (47), Simphiwe Msibi (24), Jabulane Sibisi (53) and Danny Mafora (39) are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, premeditated murder, possession of firearms, possession of ammunition, possession of explosives and malicious damage to property. Rikhotso further adds the ninth suspect, Lobelo, already made a brief appearance before the Mahikeng Regional Court on Wednesday and will join the other suspects in the High Court on 12 April 2021.

OFM News/Blaine Jones