GAUTENG – Nathaniel Nathi Mafala (32), was denied bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of attempted murder, armed robbery, possession of unlicensed firearm and possession of suspected stolen goods.
Mafala was one of the heavily armed suspects who allegedly robbed and bombed a G4S truck transporting money to Kempton Park in January 2018. Investigations by the Hawks’ National Bureau of Firearms Control and Priority Violence Crime (NBFCPVC) resulted in his arrest on February 20, in Soshanguve, near Pretoria.
It is alleged that on the afternoon of January 21, the suspects started shooting at the G4S truck along the N1. Two other vehicles joined in and forced the cash truck off the road. Both the driver and crew were robbed of their firearms, undisclosed amount of money was also robbed after the cash vehicle’s vaults were detonated with explosives.
Witnesses alerted the police about the incident, when the police approached the crime scene a shootout ensued, and the suspects managed to get away.
Hawks’ investigations commenced and led to the arrest of Mafala who was found in possession of police hand radio, keys, an unlicensed firearm, and cash suspected to have been taken from the crime scene. More cash amounting to about R100 000 was recovered from his parents’ home in Britz.
The case has been postponed to 19 March 2018 for cross examination and judgement meanwhile Mafala is remanded in custody. The Hawks are expecting to make more arrests regarding this matter.
