Inspiring Hearts with Latest News
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation can confirm that an investigation into alleged corrupt expenditure by the SAPS in the procurement of PPE between April and July 2020 is underway.
Investigation is continuing and evidence is being collected against a number of companies; of which search and seizure operations were conducted and the seized items & articles are now being analysed.
Source: South African Police Service
On 06 Wednesday 2021 at approximately 05:00, a house robbery was reported at Fochville police precinct whereby victims were allegedly stabbed and brutally assaulted. The suspects fled the scene with the victim’s firearm, laptop and various items.
A preliminary investigation led to the arrest of the suspect within 48 hours of the incident. The 28-year-old suspect was found in possession of the alleged stolen firearm, laptops and other items which he could not account for.
He was arrested and is expected to appear before court soon on charges of house robbery.
The public is advised to adhere to the following safety tips in order to minimise chances of being victims;
*Ensure that your garden, driveway and back yard is clear and with sufficient light.
* If possible please install burglars on your windows and doors and have an alarm system that is connected to an arm response.
*Know your neighbours as they are close by and can help during any emergence.
*Make provisions for good lighting outside and always remember to switch it off during the day as it attract the attention of the criminals.
*You can also use whistles to alert the neighbours of any emergency.
*Remain calm during a robbery and give your full cooperation. Life is worth more than any property.
Members of community are further encouraged to report any criminal activities to their nearest Police station or call the SAPS Crime Stop line 08600 10111, or use MySAPSApp that can be downloaded on any smartphone. All information received will be strictly confidential and people can remain anonymous.
Source: South African Police Service
A Franciscan nun from Colombia kidnapped by jihadis in Mali in 2017 was freed Saturday, a statement from Mali’s presidential office said.
The statement on the presidential Twitter account paid tribute to the courage of Sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez, who was held for four years and eight months.
In the official statement, Malian strongman Colonel Assimi Goita assured the Malian people and the international community that “efforts are under way” to secure the release of all those still being held in Mali.
The archbishop of Bamako, Jean Zerbo, confirmed Narvaez’s release, adding that she was doing well.
“We prayed a lot for her release. I thank the Malian authorities and other good people who made this release possible,” the archbishop said.
Her brother, Edgar Narvaez, also confirmed her release in a brief conversation with AFP.
“She is in good health, thank God. They sent me pictures and she looks well,” he said.
Narvaez was taken hostage on February 7, 2017, at Koutiala, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of the Malian capital, Bamako, while working as a missionary there.
There were irregular reports about her over the years, including at the beginning of 2021, when two Europeans who managed to escape captivity reported that she was well.
Then in March, her brother received a letter passed on from the Red Cross. It was written in capital letters “because she always used capital letters,” contained the names of their parents, and ended with her signature, he told AFP earlier this year.
Mali has been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency that emerged in the north of the country in 2012 and that has since spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Kidnappings, once rare, have become more common in recent years as a security crisis has deepened in Mali, particularly in the center of the former French colony.
Source: Voice of America
The Middelburg based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team arrested 56-year-old Milton Mbongeni Lushaba on Friday morning for alleged fraudulent double invoices to the Department of Education for scholar transport committed 14 years ago.
Lushaba appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court shortly after his arrest. The investigation itself started around April 2015 when the case was opened. The Hawks’ investigation uncovered that between September and October 2007, Lushaba as a transport service provider submitted invoices for services that were never rendered, in fact in some instances he submitted claims for the period when schools were closed. This resulted in the department losing around R280 000-00.
The court granted Lushaba bail of R10.000-00. He is expected to appear in the Middelburg Commercial Specialised Crime Court on 12 November 2021.
Meanwhile, in a separate and unrelated matter, 34-year-old Siboniso Isaac Manyisa who is a former bank consultant was sentenced to a fine of R15000-00 or three (3) years imprisonment and further eight (8) years imprisonment that was suspended for period of five (5) years on condition that the accused is not convicted of fraud or theft committed during the period of suspension.
Manyisa is a former employee of First National Bank branch at Ermelo wherein in April of 2019, he tried to transfer the sum of R 10-million from the bank’s client account without his knowledge. The transfer was subsequently stopped by the bank as normal procedures were not followed. The client was called and he confirmed that he never authorised such a transaction which resulted in the Hawks arresting Manyisa hence his conviction.
Source: South African Police Service
The Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Lusikisiki arrested a 49-year-old relative for the alleged rape of his niece at Tsweleni Loc Buhlanyanga A/A on Thursday 07 October 2021.
It is alleged that the 13-year-old victim was on her way from the shop with her uncle when she was dragged into nearby bushes and raped.
The suspect is detained and will appear in the Lusikisiki magistrate court on Monday, 11 October 2021.
Source: South African Police Service
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena has welcomed the sentence handed down to a 21-year-old Karabo Bahurutshe by the North West High Court in Mahikeng on Friday, 08 October 2021.
Bahurutshe’s conviction came after intensive and thorough investigation conducted following an incident wherein the victim, Gomolemo Legae who was 18-years-old at the time, was stabbed several times and ultimately doused with petrol and set alight by the convict. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday morning, 01 December 2019, at Ramosadi village, outside Mahikeng.
It was reported at the time of the incident that on the said day, Legae was on her way home when a member of the community heard her screaming. Although she was subsequently found bleeding, she managed to inform the members of the community who the suspect was. Legae who suffered third degree burns, later succumbed to her injuries.
The convict who evaded the arrest, was handed over to the police by his brother on Monday afternoon, 02 December 2019. He was then detained and charged with rape and murder. Bahurutshe has been in detention until his sentencing after the police successfully opposed his bail.
Bahurutshe was eventually sentenced as follows:
Rape: 10 years imprisonment;
Murder: Life imprisonment.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena commended the Investigating Officer, Detective Warrant Officer Isaac Ndlovu and prosecution for their cooperation that culminated in the conviction and maximum sentence.
Source: South African Police Service