adminMashudu Netsianda Senior Reporter
SOUTH African police have arrested five Zimbabwean men for attempting to bribe police officers who had found a consignment of stolen clothing worth R30,000 in their vehicle.
Police spokesperson for Makhado, Constable Irene Radzilani said police officers were conducting a routine stop and search exercise on the N1 highway near Makhado when they stopped a black Ford vehicle with five people.
“We arrested five Zimbabweans during the search and found a lot of clothes with new price tags on them,” said Radzilani.
She said the suspects failed to give a satisfactory response after they were asked to explain how they acquired the clothes.
They then tried to bribe the police officers to turn a blind eye to the matter.
Radzilani said when their offer was rejected, the five escaped, leaving their loot, but were chased and apprehended.
Police linked the clothing to a burglary at the Olive Tree clothing shop in Makhado the night before.
Radzilani said the suspects did not possess weapons at the time of arrest and were found to be undocumented Zimbabweans.
She said the five men will appear at Makhado magistrate’s court in due course facing charges of theft and contravention of that country’s Immigration Act.
In February, South African detectives also arrested five other Zimbabweans who were allegedly linked to an armed robbery on a wholesale on the road between Louis Trichardt and Musina.
The armed robbery took place at Wyliespoort shopping centre and two security guards were robbed of their cell phones and firearms by the suspects before they fled.
Online Reporter