Sizwe Mduduzi Mahlalela (38) remained in custody after he appeared in the Barberton Magistrates court on Friday, 18 June 2021 facing a charge of car hijacking.
Mahlalela was arrested during an intelligence driven operation led by the Mpumalanga Serious Organised Crime Investigation team together with Nelspruit Crime Intelligence on Thursday, 17 June 2021.
This follows investigation into a series of car hijacking that were preceded by an incident of attempted cash-in-transit heist (CIT) that took place on Thursday, 06 May 2021. It is alleged that a group of armed suspects rammed a cash van on the road between Barberton and Nelspruit and attempted to blow it with explosives.
When the suspects saw that the CIT is unsuccessful, they allegedly hijacked a Toyota Hilux bakkie and fled to Barberton. In Barberton they allegedly abandoned the bakkie and hijacked a VW Polo which was later recovered between White River and Kabokweni.
Mahlalela was allegedly linked to both recovered vehicles and a warrant of arrest was issued against him which resulted to his arrested. Further investigation by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team established that the suspect was out on parole during the commission of the alleged crime . He had been sentenced on charges of murder and house robbery.
The case against Mahlalela was postponed to 28 June 2021 and he remains in custody.
