Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, the Provincial Head of the Hawks, expressed gratitude to the joint team for their efforts in bringing Malaki Masitha (27) to justice.
According to Warrant-Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, Masitha appeared before the Gqeberha New Law Court on May 22, facing the allegations of a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery.
Mhlakuvana said Masitha was arrested by the Gqeberha based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks in joint operation with the Gqeberha Crime Intelligence (CI) and Tactical Response Team (TRT) in the early hours of May 21.
” On April 3, it is alleged that a Fidelity cash truck was picking up cash at Greenacres shopping mall in Gqeberha where the security guards were accosted by five unidentified suspects and pointed a firearm at them, then forcefully grabbed an undisclosed amount of money.
” During the time the security guards were reportedly about to get into their cash truck,” said Mhlakuvana.
“Subsequent to that, the suspects reportedly used a Nissan NP200 as a gateway car, thereafter, hijacked two vehicles a Chevrolet Utility and a Suzuki Celeron which were later found abandoned in Gqeberha.
“An intelligence-driven investigation driven investigation by the joint team managed to link the suspect with the said incident, which led to his arrest,” said Mhlakuvana.
More arrests are imminent as investigations are underway.
Masitha made his first court appearance before the Gqeberha New Law court on May 22.
The matter was thus remanded to May 23 to set a date for formal bail application.
