Three men arrested in connection with a brazen cash-in-transit heist on the N6 outside East London earlier this week will spend the festive season behind bars, with their next court appearance in January.
The three men appeared briefly in the East London magistrate’s court on Thursday and were remanded until January 30 after they abandoned bail.
They are alleged to have been among 18 heavily armed men who rammed and blew up a G4S armoured vehicle before making off with an undisclosed amount of money on Tuesday.
The three were arrested on the same day in Mooiplaas.
Four others, who were arrested on Wednesday, are due to appear in the East London magistrate’s court on Friday after they were arrested near Qonce.
Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali named the three suspects as Eugene Yabo, 53, Yanga Mosalo, 40, and Sinawo Kinzela, 28.
They are facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, multiple attempted murders, possession of firearms and ammunition, and possession of explosives.
The other four suspects, who cannot be named at this stage, were nabbed by a team comprising members of the East London Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit, Mdantsane tactical response team, Buffalo City Metro tracking team, local criminal record centre and GDS Security.
Police officers narrowly escaped injury during their arrest after a shootout broke out with the suspects.
Eleven additional suspects remain at large.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the team had acted on credible intelligence that led them to Madramini, near Qonce.
“It is alleged that a 41-year-old suspect provided logistical support and transportation for the perpetrators before and after the CIT heist,” Mhlakuvana said.
A Mercedes-Benz E-Class, allegedly used as a getaway vehicle, was seized during the operation.
Two other suspects — a 41-year-old man from Pretoria and a 43-year-old from Cape Town — were arrested at a safe house reportedly owned by the Mercedes-Benz driver.
Mhlakuvana said further follow-up led investigators to intercept a white Toyota RunX in the Qonce area.
The car was allegedly transporting four more suspects who had been hiding in the Mooiplaas area.
“When officers confronted the suspects, they opened fire on the police, prompting a tactical defensive response,” he said.
“A brief but intense exchange of gunfire ensued.
“Two suspects, aged 41 and 58, sustained minor gunshot wounds.
“Both were treated at Grey Hospital in Qonce before being discharged under police guard.
“Police recovered a white Mercedes-Benz believed to have been used in the robbery, a grey Toyota Fortuner, a 9mm pistol and an undisclosed amount of money suspected to be proceeds of the heist,” Mhlakuvana said.
Provincial Hawks head Major-General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya said: “This operation demonstrates our relentless commitment to dismantling organised criminal networks responsible for orchestrating violent and economically motivated crimes.”
Daily Dispatch
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