Two Zimbabwean men were arrested for masquerading as good Samaritans, before allegedly stealing R40 000, a car battery and a spare wheel from South Africans involved in an accident outside Beit Bridge, police said on Monday.

The accident, a head-on collision involving a Gauteng-registered Nissan bakkie and a Zimbabwean-registered Mitsubishi truck, occurred on Thursday at around 22:00 at the 127km peg along the Beit Bridge-Bulawayo road. The two drivers were reportedly trying to avoid a stray cow, which resulted in a head-on collision and they both died instantly.

The local police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Hosiah Mukombero, said the two suspects, Sipho Phumulani (40) and Mthulisi Sibanda (20), both from Bulawayo, were arrested on Sunday. Another suspect is still at large.

“We arrested two suspects for stealing R40 000 from South Africans who were involved in an accident along the Beit Bridge-Bulawayo road. The suspects, who were acting as good Samaritans arrived at the scene at the same time that an ambulance arrived. The suspects then assisted in ferrying some of the victims´ belongings. The suspects were coming from Bulawayo and heading towards Beit Bridge.

Mukombero said the suspects later followed the ambulance to Beit Bridge District Hospital where, upon arrival, they offered to take the victim’s bag, containing R100 000, for safekeeping, while he recuperated.

The complainant was travelling in the Nissan pick-up with his brother, Mr Agreement Mapaile (27), who unfortunately died on the spot. “The suspects also indicated to the victim that they would assist him in collecting some of the items left at the scene of accident. They then went and stole the car battery and the spare wheel,” Mukombero said.

Soon after recovering, the victim contacted the suspects, so that they could return his bag which contained the money. It was then discovered that R40 000 was missing and a report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of the two suspects. Mukombero said the two suspects later implicated an accomplice, who is still at large.

The money has not yet been recovered. “The suspects are in our custody, assisting us with investigations, and they will soon appear in court on theft charges. We have since launched a manhunt for the other suspect, who is still at large,” he said. Two Zimbabwean men were arrested for masquerading as good Samaritans, before allegedly stealing R40 000, a car battery and a spare wheel from South Africans involved in an accident outside Beit Bridge, police said on Monday. The accident, a head-on collision involving a Gauteng-registered Nissan bakkie and a Zimbabwean-registered Mitsubishi truck, occurred on Thursday at around 22:00 at the 127km peg along the Beit Bridge-Bulawayo road. The two drivers were reportedly trying to avoid a stray cow, which resulted in a head-on collision and they both died instantly. The local police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Hosiah Mukombero, said the two suspects, Sipho Phumulani (40) and Mthulisi Sibanda (20), both from Bulawayo, were arrested on Sunday. Another suspect is still at large. “We arrested two suspects for stealing R40 000 from South Africans who were involved in an accident along the Beit Bridge-Bulawayo road. The suspects, who were acting as good Samaritans arrived at the scene at the same time that an ambulance arrived. The suspects then assisted in ferrying some of the victims´ belongings. The suspects were coming from Bulawayo and heading towards Beit Bridge. Mukombero said the suspects later followed the ambulance to Beit Bridge District Hospital where, upon arrival, they offered to take the victim’s bag, containing R100 000, for safekeeping, while he recuperated. The complainant was travelling in the Nissan pick-up with his brother, Mr Agreement Mapaile (27), who unfortunately died on the spot. “The suspects also indicated to the victim that they would assist him in collecting some of the items left at the scene of accident. They then went and stole the car battery and the spare wheel,” Mukombero said. Soon after recovering, the victim contacted the suspects, so that they could return his bag which contained the money. It was then discovered that R40 000 was missing and a report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of the two suspects. Mukombero said the two suspects later implicated an accomplice, who is still at large. The money has not yet been recovered. “The suspects are in our custody, assisting us with investigations, and they will soon appear in court on theft charges. We have since launched a manhunt for the other suspect, who is still at large,” he said.