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Senior Magistrate Luckson Ramavhale (left) receives a memorandum from Indian community leader Ayub Madina (second from right). Next to Ramavhale is Mr Tshilidzi Ndou, a magistrate in Thohoyandou.

Protests as “fong kong cops” appear in court

 

In one of the most sensational robbery cases ever to have occurred in Thohoyandou, five men, accompanied by the Thohoyandou police, allegedly robbed an Indian businessman in Thohoyandou.

It is alleged the five men, masquerading as police, conned the Thohoyandou police into believing they were members of the Hawks investigating a crime in Block F.

Unawares, the Thohoyandou police accompanied them to their victim, who had allegedly been robbed in Thohoyandou Block F. At the house, women who were inside refused to open up and the robbers allegedly broke the burglar door before entering the house.

The owner of the house was not present and he was called from his work place, whereupon the robbers ransacked his house, taking cash and other valuables from the house before getting back to the police station. That is where they allegedly disappeared with their loot.

The men were arrested in Gauteng last week after a complaint by the businessman. Ironically, the Thohoyandou police allegedly refused to open a case in Thohoyandou, but the case was subsequently opened in Polokwane.

The five appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court last Wednesday. The court was packed to capacity, with Indian businesspeople who had been victims of armed robberies in attendance. A group of angry local businesspeople from Sibasa, Makhado and Malamulele protested outside the court with placards bearing messages. They demanded that the suspects not be granted bail.

They later handed over a memorandum detailing their grievances to Senior Magistrate Lackson Ramavhale, who promised to take it to the senior prosecutor. At least three robberies by people impersonating police have taken place in the Thohoyandou area and thousands of rands and jewellery were taken during the heists.

The suspects are Thabo Obed Mathapo, Morris Khathutshelo Rafumbidamu, Thendo Gregory Motha, Thabiso Saul Molapo and Ivan Mogane. They appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Courts last week, where they applied for bail. They were charged with inpersonating a police officer. Due to time constraints, their bail application could not be completed and was postponed to 16 and 17 October.

The Thohoyandou police spokesperson confirmed that the suspects had produced documentation to prove that they were from the Hawks. "We were convinced that they were real police and did not hesitate to help them, but this a wake-up call that we should scrutinize members and their movements," said Malelo.

Community leader Ayub Madina said they were tired of crime in Block F. “In September alone, we had 10 armed robberies in Thohoyandou. We are no longer safe in this community and we do not know who will be next. We are at the mercy of criminals, and we feel that if these fong kong cops are given bail, they will continue with their reign of terror. We are worried that the police will arrest criminals and the courts grant them bail or let them walk free,” added Madina.

News - Date: 17 October 2014

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Angry members of the Indian community protest outside the court last week.

 

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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