Two suspects, aged 32 and 37 years of age, were arrested and charged for the robbery of Ndebele artist Dr Esther Mahlangu.
According to the police, seven suspects came in for questioning and they released five after their statements. The police pounced on the first suspect in Mogononong in Siyabuswa. They found him with a firearm and its serial number filed off, hidden in the toilet cistern and wrapped in a plastic.
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“He then pointed to the second suspect where he bought the firearm from. While the third suspect pointed to the fourth suspect. The fourth suspect confessed to be the one who broke into the house took the firearm, money and the safe. We found the safe forcefully opened at Ramokgeletsana, a few kilometres from Siyabuswa,” read the police statement.
Dr Mahlangu was robbed and attacked at her home on March 19. During the robbery, the pensioner was assaulted and strangled. They tied her hands with a chord while the suspect searched her bedroom.
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They then made off with a 7.65 mm pistol, an undisclosed amount of cash and keys, then fled the scene. She was left helpless and sustained some injuries on her face but was found by her granddaughter later, who alerted the neighbours. They charged the two suspects with possession of unlawful firearm and house robbery. They will appear at the Mdutjana Magistrate’s Court today.
