MPUMALANGA – Prince Makufa (28) will attempt to apply for bail when he appears again in the Ogies Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for alleged diesel theft.
Makufa was arrested on 09 March 2020, during a multi-disciplinary operation by members of the Hawks, together with Transnet, SAPS and a security company. This was after the team with the assistance of the SAPS Airwing crew followed up on an apparent cause of a pressure drop from an underground fuel pipeline.
A suspicious, newly built tin house was discovered at a coal yard where the pipeline passes through. The search of the tin house uncovered a generator and eight fuel containers and further revealed a dugout leading to the pipeline which was leaking diesel. The onsite guard assisted with the identity of Makufa who reportedly owns the house and he was subsequently arrested and charged for theft of diesel.
In another separate case, Alexandre Phangane (32) was arrested recently by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for Illegal possession of counterfeit goods worth more than R14 million.
The suspect was driving a truck from Mozambique allegedly loaded with fake designer handbags, slippers, Gucci wallets and tablet cases. He appeared before the Komatipoort Magistrate on Friday and was granted R8000 bail and the case has been postponed to 24 April 2020 for further investigation.
