Four suspects, who were apprehended for possession of suspected stolen livestock and contravening the Immigration Act on 05 April 2022, have appeared before Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 19 April 2022.
Petros Mbedzi (41), Phenuel Ndou (36), Hulisani Mbedzi (36) and Bokans Mave (36) were denied bail and their cases were postponed to Friday, 29 April 2022.
The suspects were arrested at Nirvana N1 traffic circle outside Polokwane while driving an Isuzu bakkie with a trailer loaded with 52 goats and 4 sheep.
The suspects failed to produce proper documentations of the livestock and were immediately arrested on the spot and the vehicle with a trailer were seized. Preliminary investigations also revealed that the suspects were in the country illegally and the livestock was stolen from Zimbabwe and destined to be sold in Gauteng province.
Afterwards, a police member from Corporate Communication along with the Limpopo Provincial Stock Theft and Vereeniging Stock Theft Unit conducted a tactical intelligence driven operation in Gauteng province and subsequently managed to recover 28 stolen goats that were kept at a plot in Vereeniging policing precinct.
Furthermore, the operation continued to Musina in Limpopo province resulting in the recovery of 116 goats, believed to have been stolen from Zimbabwe. The recovered livestock was impounded. The total value of the livestock is estimated at R24, 0000. 00
Preliminary investigations revealed that the livestock were illegally transported from Zimbabwe and kept at a farm outside Musina for brand marking and later to be transported to Gauteng province.
