BLOEMFONTEIN – A 40-year-old man from Botshabelo is due to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court today – Thursday, 28 August – facing charges of fraud, extortion and defeating the course of justice.
His appearance followed an arrest by members of the police that include the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team on Tuesday, 26 August, following up on intelligence-driven information.
“The suspect allegedly made telephone calls to business owners in Botshabelo, Thaba-Nchu, and Bloemfontein ‘alerting’ them to planned robberies. These businesses include a cash-in-transit management security company, supermarkets, and a construction equipment and home improvement retail store. Allegedly, he demanded money in exchange for more information.
“Concerned companies deployed additional resources in anticipation of the reported robberies. The local police were also placed on high alert, deploying resources to intercept the robberies. In the end, the information proved to be false,” says Lt. Col Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks.
He says a sting operation set-up led to the identification and arrest of the suspect. “Cellphones believed to have been used in the commission of crime were confiscated,” says Mohobeleli.
