MASHISHING, MPUMALANGA — Five suspects, including four police officers from Limpopo, have been remanded in custody following their appearance in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court in connection with a house robbery involving R950,000 in cash and illicit cigarettes worth R1.5 million.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the case was postponed to Friday to allow time for bail applications and for both the prosecution and defence to finalise necessary information.
The accused were identified as Senama Sarafina (35), Huma Malesela Daniel (34), Shogole Lesiba Lucky (41), Ledwaba Macdonald (34), and Komane Johannes (29), the only civilian among them.
The group was arrested last week after a house robbery targeting Ethiopian nationals in Mashishing, during which suspects allegedly used police-marked vehicles to carry out the crime. Investigators later recovered illicit cigarettes valued at R1.5 million, R950,000 in cash, and ammunition.
The Hawks confirmed that investigations into the robbery and the involvement of the police officers are ongoing.
In a related case, two Ethiopian nationals — Daniel Anshiso Wikillo (38) and Temasgen Shagane Aleyo (33) — believed to be linked to the illicit cigarette consignment, also appeared in court on Monday. They will remain in custody until their next appearance scheduled for October 20, 2025.
Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe condemned the alleged actions of the officers, reaffirming the SAPS’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and pledging that justice would take its course.
Provincial spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba stated that the arrests were made after police responded to a late-night robbery in Mashishing on Thursday. Preliminary reports indicated that the Ethiopian victims were asleep when they were ambushed by armed suspects using three vehicles — a grey Toyota double-cab bakkie with Limpopo registration, a marked SAPS VW Golf GTI belonging to the Polokwane Flying Squad, and a third vehicle believed to be a Suzuki or Avanza, which fled with several boxes of illicit cigarettes and cash.
The suspects remain in custody pending further investigation.
