THE Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga has applauded the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit which had been roped in to assist with the investigation relating to a house robbery and attack that took place on a farm in the Sunlands area, Addo last Saturday evening.
“Four suspects, aged between 26 and 41, were behind bars in less than 24-hours after allegedly committing the offences,” said Lt General Ntshinga.
According to police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart, it is alleged that at about 18:40, a 63-year-old man went outside to feed his horses and upon entering his home, he was attacked by unknown men.
“The suspects assaulted him with an axe and demanded the keys to his safe and fled with three firearms, electronic equipment and forced the complainant into his white Isuzu bakkie and they drove to a neighbouring farm.
They also ransacked the neighbour’s house and drove off to a residence, believed to be somewhere in Motherwell, where they tied up the complainant for the duration of the night. Early last Sunday the suspects took the complainant’s credit cards and used it at a shopping centre in Port Elizabeth. They later drove the complainant to a service station near Njoli Square, KwaZakhele where they released the victim and returned his Isuzu bakkie. The complainant managed to drive back to his farm and called the local police. He was taken to a hospital where he was admitted with head and arm injuries.
The breakthrough was made on Monday night when the team searched residential homes of suspects in Addo. Two firearms and ammunition were recovered at the time of the arrests. The investigations are continuing and the search for the outstanding firearms are ongoing.
The four suspects will face several charges including attempted murder, house robbery and abduction and additional charges may be added. -REPORTER
