Abraham Alexander Mkhabela (31) will re-appear before the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 17 July 2023, on a charge of hijacking. His arrest came after information received was operationalized by members of Rustenburg Public Order Policing (POP), Visible Policing and Crime Intelligence on Sunday evening, 9 July 2023. The team proceeded to an identified flat, in Rustenburg, where Mkhabela was found sound asleep. He was immediately arrested and police seized a police reflective jacket.
Mkhabela is linked with three hijacking cases in Sun City, Phokeng and Mogwase and for a case of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in Sun City. These cases were reported between June 2016 and June 2023.
In the last hijacking case reported late at night on Sunday, 3 June 2023, in Sun City on the R565 road, a 33-year-old victim was allegedly driving in a silver Mercedes Benz. He stopped to pour petrol at a filling station in Ledig. He just pulled out of the filling station when he was approached by three armed men, who were also driving a Mercedes Benz. He was pointed with a firearm and instructed to get out of his vehicle. Furthermore he was robbed of his vehicle and personal belongings and left unharmed next to the road. Mkhabela’s first court appearance before the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court was on Monday, 10 July 2023, where he was remanded in custody.
In another tactical operation conducted on Thursday, 13 July 2023, six suspects were arrested for an attempted truck high jacking in Hammanskraal. Various police units were involved in securing this arrest, including Brits and Rustenburg Crime Intelligence, Brits Trio Task Team, Mooinooi and Jericho Visible Policing and District Detectives of Bojanala Platinum District.
Police seized a Toyota Hilux, tools that can be used to strip a truck as well as numerous cellphones allegedly used in the commission of the crime.
The suspects, aged between 41 and 28, will appear before the Temba Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 17 July 2023. Further linkages to other cases are expected and investigations will continue by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Unit.
The North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, congratulated the teams for their dedication and diligence that led to these arrests. He emphasized that police would leave no stone unturned to ensure that hardened criminals are put behind bars.
Source: South African Police Service