Four men appeared before the Molopo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, facing a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The court appearance stems from an incident reported in the early hours of Sunday, 18 January 2026, at Lonely Park Village outside Mahikeng. According to police reports, a 30-year-old man was sleeping inside his Tata vehicle when he was approached by four males. One of the suspects allegedly produced a knife and threatened the victim. The group then took his belongings, including the vehicle keys and a cellular phone, before fleeing.
A short time later, two of the suspects allegedly returned to the scene, prompting the victim to run to a nearby tavern for help. The suspects then allegedly drove away in the victim’s vehicle.
Police were notified and a case was registered at Mahikeng. Following leads, members of the Mahikeng Flying Squad located and recovered the stolen vehicle later the same day at a house in Signal Hill Village.
In a subsequent development on Monday, 19 January 2026, members of the Signal Hill community apprehended the four suspects. They are allegedly linked to a series of thefts from motor vehicles in the area.
During police questioning and a search, a set of Tata vehicle keys was found in the possession of one of the suspects. He allegedly indicated the keys belonged to a vehicle hijacked at Lonely Park Village. Police also recovered the stolen vehicle’s wheels, which had been sold.
The accused have been identified as Vusumzi Mahaba (27), Barnabas Ngwenya (33), Katlego Mere (23), and Katlego Ditshipi (41). The court remanded them in custody until their next appearance on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, for a formal bail application.
Investigations into the matter are continuing.