Cape Town – Three men employed as Fidelity security officials appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of robbery.
Mzwandile Choko, 60, Molefe Sidwell Molefe, 61, and Deon de Lange, 48, were arrested on Wednesday, May 10, and made a brief appearance in court.
According to the spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Free State, Captain Christopher Singo, the trio were arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Bloemfontein.
He said their arrest followed a cash-in-transit heist which took place on Tuesday, May 9.
“The armoured vehicle of Fidelity security company was en route from the company depot to the Bloemfontein central business district (CBD) to deliver cash. It is alleged that before the security officials reached their destination they were accosted by a group of heavily armed suspects at McKenzie Street east end in Bloemfontein,” Singo said.
The armed robbers then allegedly instructed the security guards to get out of the armoured vehicle.
“They (armed robbers) then used explosives to blow the vault and the drop safe of the armoured vehicle. The suspects then took an undisclosed amount of money and three firearms from the security officials and fled the scene,” said Singo.
Further investigation into the incident led investigators to the trio.
The matter against Choko, Molefe and de Lange was postponed until May 19 for a formal bail application.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL