Two Zim Armed Robbers Re-arrested in SA

Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

South African police on Saturday re-arrested two Zimbabwean armed robbers and a local man who escaped from police custody on Wednesday last week.

Figos Madisha (South African), Clifford Mutonhori, and John Fine both Zimbabweans were arrested following a shootout with the police.

The accused persons along with Denis Hove who is still at large, ran away after overpowering and disarming a police officer along the R101 road south of Polokwane.

The incident occurred while the accused person was being moved from Polokwane to Mokopane for sentencing on a charge of armed robbery, which they committed in 2019.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said Madisha, Mutonhori, and Fine were re-arrested on Saturday after hijacking two commercial trucks.

“Two truck hijackings that took place along the N1 road on two consecutive days, one on Thursday night, 22 July 2021, next to the area where these convicted criminals escaped and the other on Friday 23 July 2021 at Nyl Plaza, led to the dramatic re-arrest of the escapees,” he said.

“The same suspects allegedly hijacked another truck the next day at Nyl Plaza toll gate and drove it towards Modimolle, with the victims inside. The truck hit one of the barricades at Kranskop tollgate and the suspects jumped off and fled into the bushes.”