ELUKWATINI - A collaboration between the South African Police Service and the Royal Eswatini Police (REP) led to the arrest of two women, Zintle Marcia Makhanya (27) and Ntokozo Priscilla Nkosi (32), for possession of suspected stolen money, presumably robbed from a bank in Swaziland.

The suspects were arrested yesterday, May 15, after an investigation of a robbery that took place at a major bank at the neighbouring Kingdom of Eswatini. The incident took place on May 8, 2019, at Matsapha. An armed woman, disguised as a man, stormed into the bank and held a teller and a security guard hostage. The suspect ordered them to fill a big bag with cash before fleeing the scene.

A few days after the incident, a probe by the REP revealed that the robbery might have been a collaboration between the bank teller, security guard and the duo. The teller and the security guard were traced and arrested. Investigations established that the loot had been smuggled into the Republic of South Africa where where it was to be kept in Nhlazatshe, Elukwatini near Badplaas, until it was safe to share it among the four. The local police traced the location and arrested the two women at their hiding place in Tjakastad.

The suspects appeared in the Eerstehoek Magistrates’ Court today (May 17) on charges of possession of suspected stolen cash. They were remanded in custody until May 23. One of the suspects will later also appear in Eswatini for her involvement during a robbery there.

Editor: Anchen Coetzee
Subeditor: Lynette Brink
Submitted by: Col Mtsholi Bhembe