MOPANI - Two women, Thelma Maile (27) of Cottondale settlement and Tiny Masuku (33) of Arconhoek briefly appeared in the Hoedspruit magistrate’s court on Monday, on a charge of faking an armed robbery. The incident relating to the case took place last Friday afternoon.

According to the spokesperson of the police in the Mopani Area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the accused were driving along the Arconhoek to Hoedspruit road on the day of the incident. They were carrying cash with them, which they were taking to the bank.

The statement indicates that the two later phoned the Hoedspruit police and told them that they had been robbed of the cash at gunpoint. They told the police that the robbers had stopped their vehicle along the way, and demanded cash from them at gunpoint.

They told the police that cash amounting to R39 500 was robbed during the heist. After thorough investigations, the police arrested the accused on Sunday morning. The statement further indicates that cash amounting to R11 350 was found in their possession at the time of their arrest.

Maile and Masuku are employees of Eskom and are stationed at Arconhoek, where they are working as cashiers. They were not asked to plead during the court appearance. They were each released on R1 000 bail and will appear in the same court on Friday, January 16, next year.

In the meantime the police in Mopani have arrested 42 suspects and charged them with various crimes, including robbery, assault, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition and theft, during the "operation festive season" which was launched last week. According to the police statement the operation will continue until the rate of crime drops in the area.