Five men connected to the robbery of a Welkom-based company trading in optic fibre cables, and the murder of an employee of said company, are remanded in custody. The suspected armed robbers Elias Sithole (33), Sammisonne Sithole (29), Charles Ntini (36), Solanke Lindeanu (22), and Lucas Muraboro (46) had their case postponed to 19 September to apply for bail.
They appeared in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court on 14 September, charged for murder and armed robbery. This followed their arrest on 30 August in Tembisa, Gauteng. The men were busted by the Welkom-based team of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit and Tactical Response Team (TRT).
“The suspects were being sought for murder and an armed robbery that occurred in Welkom on 3 December 2022. The suspects took the drums of optic fibre estimated to the value of R1,5 million and two cellphones during the robbery. The suspects fatally shot one of the employees,” said WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks. She said the robbery took place in the Welkom industrial area.
Matoti said the armed suspects allegedly accessed the company through a network plant situated in the Welkom industrial area.
“Two suspects, armed with 9mm pistols, tied employees up and started to load optic fibre rolls onto a vehicle,” she said.
Matoti said the elite crime fighting wing are continuing with their investigation and search for two remaining suspects still at large.
